


Truth or Dare

by Pixelatrix



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Angst, BDSM, Dom/sub Undertones, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fingerfucking, Fluff and Angst, Light BDSM, Romance, Sex Toys, Smut, Spanking, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-02
Updated: 2013-08-20
Packaged: 2017-12-16 21:22:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 32
Words: 42,830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/866734
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pixelatrix/pseuds/Pixelatrix
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This will be an on-going story featuring a romance between Fem-Shepard & Hackett that has elements of bdsm.  Story starts pre-ME and continues into ME3.</p><p>"Why do I get the feeling that you'll only ever follow orders that you want to follow?"</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a rewrite actually of a story that I wrote on another site. I’ve changed up some parts, made it a lot more explicit(Though not so much in the first chapter). 
> 
> Beta: CelticGrace. 
> 
> Bioware owns all. Sadly.

“I believe that walking away is generally an indication that I am no longer interested in conversing with you.” Shepard rolled her eyes at the idiot trying to hit on her. 

She’d been on Arcturus in preparation for her new assignment to the _Normandy._ Shepard decided to head to the bar frequented by most of the officers on Arcturus, which had been her first mistake.  The second mistake had been putting up with the Major Douchebag who’d not taken her first hint. 

“Commander?”  A strong hand dropped on her shoulder.

She’d had enough of this asshole.  Without bothering to look, she tossed the rest of her beer over her shoulder.  She turned around to find that she’d just emptied her pint on Admiral Hackett.

_Oh fuck._

“I…” There was absolutely nothing appropriate that she could think of to say. “Sorry, sir. I thought you were someone else.”

“I get that all the time.” Hackett grabbed a napkin and wiped the beer from his face.

“Really?”

“No.” He tossed the crumpled napkin to the side.

“Move over old man, I was talking to her first.” The drunken man bumped into Hackett while trying to grab Shepard.

Hackett grabbed the Major by the front of his uniform.  He whispered something in the man’s ear.  He paled significantly and stumbled out of the bar as quickly as his drunken feet could carry him. The Admiral turned his attention back to Shepard.

Intensity was something that she’d always associated with the man in front of her.  It made her nervous…and warm…very warm in places below the belt.  They’d been flirting with each other since she’d arrived on Arcturus.  It started subtly, but it had been progressing.

“I’ve always wondered why do you have red and white streaks in your hair?” Hackett reached out to hold a strand of her long black hair.

“It was a dare, after I graduated from the N7 program.  One of my buddies from the class dared me to die my hair with N7 colors. It grew on me, so I kept it,” Shepard shrugged.

“A dare?”

“Never play truth or dare with drunken marines, Sir.  It never ends well.” She waved off the bartender’s offer to refill her drink. “According to my drill instructor, impulsive should be my middle name. But really, who turns down a dare like that one?”

“What is your middle name?” Hackett asked.

“Cadence.”

“I thought that was your first name.” He frowned at her.

“No. We don’t talk about my first name.” She _never_ talked about her first name. He could look it up in her fucking file if he was that curious.

“Do you have plans for dinner, Shepard?” He paid for both of their drink tabs.

“I did. They…fell through.” She toyed with the dog tags around her neck.

“Have dinner with me.” It wasn’t a question.

“Is that an order?” She followed him out of the bar.

“Would you like it to be?”

“Careful, Admiral, I might take you up on that offer.” Shepard decided now was probably a good time to head back to her quarters.  The Admiral grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into a secluded alcove. 

Hackett watched her carefully. “You’re a good marine, a good N7.  You like to be in charge, you’ll probably end up with your own ship at some point.”

“But?”

“No buts.” He shook his head.

“Really? Because it sounded like a sentence with a but in it.” She raised an eyebrow at him.

Hackett stepped over to her, close enough that just a slight movement would press her entire body against his. “I like to be in control under the sheets.  I don’t believe in sharing.  And I like to have my _orders_ followed. Can you follow orders?”

Shepard pulled at the collar of her uniform.  She was feeling a little…claustrophobic at the moment.  She decided to fall back on sarcasm until her mind cleared enough to think. “I don’t think I’ve ever been accused of insubordination.”

“Don’t be obtuse.  You know what I mean.” He reached up to stop her fidgeting fingers. “Relax. You can say no, I’ll go back to the bar and finish my whiskey alone.”

“I’m a marine, Sir, I never say no to a free meal.” She grinned at him.

“Dinner, definitely, maybe after you can indulge me in a little game of truth or dare.” He squeezed her hand before letting go of it.  “Say yes, Shepard.”

“Yes, Shepard.”


	2. Chapter 2

Dinner with the Admiral had been almost anti-climactic for Shepard, he was the perfect gentleman.  Anyone watching would assume it was nothing more than a shared meal between two officers.  The hand that gently caressed her knee under the table was the only thing that reminded her of the promise that had been in his eyes.

After the meal, he escorted her back to his quarters.  He led her in the living room while he headed in the kitchen to find something for them to drink. She’d opted for whatever wine he had.  She needed a clear head to deal with a man like Admiral Hackett.  She stepped closer to a picture on the wall.  It looked like somewhere on Earth.

“It’s Buenos Aires.” Hackett walked towards her with two glasses in his hands. “I was born there.  It’s been a long time since I visited.”

“And I always had you pegged for a spacer brat.” She turned towards him.

“So, Shepard, what will it be? Truth or dare?” Hackett handed Shepard a glass of wine, and took a seat in a nearby recliner.

She moved over to peruse the books and random items on the bookshelves that lined one of the walls in his living room.  She sipped the wine before answering, “truth.”

“Have you ever played around with control in the bedroom?” He apparently didn’t believe in mincing words.   

“Yes.” She ran a finger along the spine of one of the books. “I’m usually the one on top.”

“Intriguing.” Hackett raised an eyebrow. “Truth or dare?”

“Isn’t it my turn to ask?” She turned around to face him.

“No, it isn’t.”

“Well then,” Shepard always enjoyed a good game, and Hackett was definitely a _master_ player. “Dare.”

“Remove an item of clothing,” he ordered.  And it was mostly definitely a command.

Shepard considered the dare for a minute or two. She could go for the obvious but where was the fun in that.  She kicked off both of her boots, and then pulled off her socks which she threw at him. “There you go, I gave you four for the price of one.  Truth or dare?”

“Truth.” He took a sip from his glass. It looked like scotch.  He seemed like a scotch kind of man.

She was disappointed that he hadn’t said dare but decided to ask the question that had been on her mind since they’d started flirting a while ago. “Why me?”

“I like a challenge.” Hackett shrugged as if that explained everything.  It didn’t explain a fucking thing. “Pick your poison.”

“Truth.”

“Why do you hate your first name?” He set his glass on the coffee table.

_Fucking bastard._

“I’ll take a forfeit.” She took another sip of wine.

“No, you won’t. You’ll answer the damn question.” Hackett’s voice dropped to a tone that sent a pleasant shiver up her spine.

“I am not…”

“Alannah.” He gave her a curious glance. “It’s a beautiful name.  You shouldn’t be ashamed of it.”

Her hand clenched around the glass involuntarily until it shattered.  _Shit._ He rushed over to gather the glass up and make sure that she hadn’t cut herself.   When he’d cleaned up the wine, he stepped back over to her.

“I…” He started to speak but she held her hand up to stop him.

“The person who named me…was not a nice person. It was a person who always managed to say it with an air of disdain and disgust.  I picked my middle name and surname when I joined the Alliance.” She wanted the conversation to move on to other topics. 

“Why keep the first name at all then?” Hackett touched his finger to the scar on her neck. 

“As a reminder that bad people exist in this world, and that I can either be one of them or be the person that destroys them.” She glanced up at him.

“ _Alannah_.” He tried her name again. “How does it sound on my lips?”

“Intriguing.” She borrowed his word from earlier. 

“Truth or dare.”  His fingers toyed with the ends of her hair.

“I don’t think you understand how the game works.” Shepard moved away from him to sit on the arm of his couch.

“Who says I’m playing a game?” Hackett smiled at her. “Truth or dare?”

“Dare.”

And that was how Shepard found herself naked pressed up against the wall in Hackett’s office. He grabbed both her wrists and pushed them up over her head. He held them against the wall until she got the hint and kept them up on her own.  His fingers glided down the inside of her arm.  They moved across her collarbone and between her breasts.

“Don’t move.” He ran his beard along her neck. “Don’t make a sound. Understood?”

She nodded.

“I asked you a question.” He bit the side of her neck.

“You said not to make a sound.” She reminded him with a grin.

He reached up to tug on her hair. “What were you saying about not being insubordinate?”

“I believe I said that I’d never been accused of it,” Shepard countered.

“I think I’m going to enjoy this.”

“What’s that?” She raised an eyebrow at him.

He ran his finger along her brow. “Bringing you to your knees.”

“Promises, promises.” She couldn’t stop the laugh when he flicked his nail against her nipple.

“If you make another sound, I’ll stop.” He crouched down in front of her.  

Spreading her legs with his hands, he ran his short finger nails across her inner thigh, first one side and then the other.  He pried her pussy lips apart and discovered what she’d known the minute that he’d dragged her up against the wall.  She was dripping wet.  He ran his tongue through the wetness and she almost came right there.

“Not yet, girl.” He murmured into her before delving his tongue deeper. 

Alannah had to remind herself not to moan.  It was harder than she anticipated.  Her muscles trembled with the effort it took to remain still while his tongue danced inside of her and across her clit.  She gripped her hands tightly together over her head. 

_The bastard knew how to use his tongue._

“Would you like to cum, _Alannah?”_ He asked when she thought she couldn’t take any more.  “Ask.”

“Fuck. Yes, please.”  She leaned her head back against the wall as he slowly ran a finger along her pussy. “I need…damn it. Please, Admiral?”

“That’s very good.” Hackett ran the tip of his finger inside of her before driving two fingers into her completely.  “Such a beautifully, wet girl.”

He pulled the fingers out of her again before ramming three into her.  His fucked her with his fingers over and over again until she begged for released.  He added a fourth finger before granting her permission and she shuddered into the strongest orgasm that she could remember having.  Her legs went out from under her.  He eased her gently down to her knees first and then on her back.

“I said I’d bring you to your knees.” He smirked before delving his tongue inside her again.

“I never said I’d stay on them.” She laughed when he swatted her thigh. “Not that this isn’t enjoyable, but I think it’s time for me to head back to my quarters.”

“ _Alannah._ ”

She rolled away from him and got to her feet. “Admiral.”

“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” Hackett followed her up off the floor.

“It’s 0400, unless you intend to ruin both of our careers, I suggest that we continue this some other time.” She pulled on her clothes. 

“I find it hard to imagine that someone with your reputation worries about her career.” Hackett raised an eyebrow at her.

“I never get caught, _Sir._ ” Alannah turned serious for a moment. “I appreciate what the Alliance has done for me.  I might bend the rules, but I don’t break them, unless absolutely necessary.”

“And when is it absolutely necessary?” Hackett asked.

“All the fucking time.”


	3. Chapter 3

_The Normandy._

_It was beautiful._

Shepard leaned on the railing in front of her and got a first look at her new _home._   XO of the most advanced ship in the fleet.  It was a hell of an accomplishment. She felt a little overwhelmed by it.  She should’ve been packing her gear but she had procrastinated, in the hopes of running into Admiral Hackett once before the ship pulled out for its first tour.

“Alannah?” A deep voice spoke into her ear.

She pushed away from the railing and turned to face him. “Admiral.”

“So _official_ , Commander.” Hackett looked over at the ship. “Again with the Admiral?”

Shepard rested back against the railing. “I like calling you, _Admiral_.  You get all annoyed. It’s cute.”

“Have you had a tour of the ship yet?” He ignored her comment.

“Not yet.  I still need to pack.” Shepard was running out of time.

“The crew is on shore-leave.  I was just about to take an unofficial walkthrough of it.  _Come_ with me?” The glint in his eyes made her suspicious.

Shepard had never been on a ship that was completely empty before.  It was weird.  She felt tempted to yell out just to see if it echoed through the vessel.  She might’ve given in to temptation if Hackett hadn’t been watching her.  They walked around the crew deck.  She started towards the mess when a firm hand gripped her by the neck and pulled her into the Captain’s quarters.

“Uhm, Admiral?”

“What Captain Anderson doesn’t know, won’t hurt him.” Hackett pushed her towards the desk in the room. He pressed on her shoulder until she bent over.  Her hands gripped the edge for support.  He spread her legs a little, his hand gliding up her inner thighs. “So I’m cute, am I?”

“Definitely. Especially when you get all aggravated and your brow furrows, it’s adorable.” Her head moved forward and her hair fell like a curtain over her face.

Hackett didn’t respond. Instead, he reached around in front of her to undo her trousers and slowly slid them off of her along with her underwear.  He ran his hand up her legs again.  She wasn’t expecting the slight sting when he brought his hand down on her inner thigh, first one then the other.  The heat from it spread through her body.  He continued alternating between her legs.

“Like that, Alannah?” He pressed against her back to whisper into her ear. His hand moved up to her ass when she didn’t answer. “I asked a question.”

“I…”

“I think you like it.  I can see how wet you’re getting.” His hand was between her thighs again, his fingers just grazing her pussy. “If you want more, you’ll have to answer the question.”

She tried to push back against his fingers but his other hand held her still.  “Yes, I like it… _Admiral_.”

Hackett thrust two fingers deep into her.  He added a third finger before removing them entirely.  His hand began to spank her thighs and ass again while teasing her with the tip of his cock for a moment before slamming all the way into her.

Pulling out, Hackett returned to spanking her thighs.  He swatted her ass and then moved to her pussy.  She felt each hit like a jolt directly to her core.  He paused to gently run his fingers over all the flushed skin.  The fingers dipped into her again while his thumb brushed against her clit.  He started the spanking again when she’d been lulled into thinking it was over.

 He timed each one with the flick of his thumb over her clit.   She had to grip the desk harder to keep on her feet.  Removing his fingers from her, he slammed his cock hard into her repeatedly.  His fingers tangled in her hair and he used it to pull her head up.  The sensations overwhelmed her as she felt like her entire body exploded in orgasm.   She didn’t even realize that she’d passed out for a moment until she found herself held in Hackett’s arms in one of the chairs in the room.

“Take it easy, Alannah.  Catch your breath.” His hand gently caressed her back.  “Beautiful girl. You were wonderful.”

“Think Anderson will notice that we broke his desk a little?” She grinned when she noticed that the desk had indeed gotten a little messed up.

“We’re going to have to talk about this in depth at some point.” Hackett seemed reluctant to let her up but he finally eased his hold so she could get dressed.

“I thought that was fairly… _in depth._ ” She tossed her underwear at him before sliding into her cargo pants.  She winced a little when they rubbed across her ass. “Have a souvenir.”

 “How the hell have you managed to avoid being accused of insubordination?” He shook his head but she noticed him slide them into his pocket.

“It’s my sparkling personality.” She headed out of Anderson’s office.

_No way in hell did she want to be caught in there._

Alannah was standing by the Galaxy Map when Hackett caught up to her.  With a sigh, she turned around and started towards the airlock.  If she didn’t pack now, she was going to end up with nothing to wear but what she had on.  That was not a good way to start a new tour and assignment.

“Alannah?” Hackett grabbed her by the arm as she started out of the airlock.

“Yes?”

“We _need_ to talk,” he insisted.

“I _need_ to pack.” She continued towards her quarters. 

He could follow if he wanted to talk that badly. If someone had told her earlier in the week that she’d have Admiral Hackett in her quarters watching her pack, she’d have laughed her damn ass off.  Yet, he sat on the edge of her bed and watched her fold her fatigues.  She couldn’t think of a damn thing to say to him, so she focused on making sure that she hadn’t forgotten anything.  She pulled the zipper on her duffle bag up and finally moved over to pack up some of her paperwork.

“You’re very quiet for someone who wanted to talk.” She muttered while sifting through the datapads and books on her desk.

“Are you mine?” He asked.

Shepard turned to perch gingerly on the edge of the desk. “Yours? Maybe.  The marks on my ass would seem to indicate that I am.”

He tried unsuccessfully not to smile at her. “Why do I get the feeling that you’ll only ever follow orders that you want to follow?”

“Because you are an exceptionally intelligent man?” Shepard smirked at him. “I follow your orders, _Admiral,_ mostly _._ ”


	4. Chapter 4

With a frustrated sigh, Shepard shoved the blanket away and reached for her omni-tool to check the time.  0246.  She had to report to the _Normandy_ at 0700. The ship was heading out on its initial tour. She wouldn’t be anywhere near Arcturus for at least six months.

_Six months._

_Damn it._

Sitting up, she tried to talk some sense into herself.  It didn’t work.  She pulled a t-shirt on over her tank-top, slid a pair of pants on and shoved her feet into her boots. She couldn’t be bothered to find socks.  The station was fairly quiet this early in the morning, so she didn’t run into anyone in the corridors.  She hesitated in front of the Admiral’s door.  Her fingers hovered over the door chime until she finally made herself touch it.

_Shit._

The door opened before she could give in to the urge to bolt. Hackett stared at her in surprise. She glanced at him to find him standing barefoot in jeans with no shirt on.

“I…”

_Wow._

“Alannah?” He stepped back to let her inside.

“Did I wake you?” She moved past him with her eyes glued to his upper body. 

“No, I was going through a report, a few reports.” Hackett gestured towards the stack of datapads on the coffee table.

“When you said that I was _yours…_ ” Shepard walked over to the coffee table and her fingers pushed around the datapads for a moment.

“Yes?” His warm hand slid up under the back of her t-shirt.

She turned around and reached down to pull his hand out of her shirt. “You said we needed to talk. And then you didn’t actually say anything. You watched me pack which was…not helpful.”

Hackett leaned down to shove all the datapads from the coffee table. “Strip.”

“Excuse me?” She raised an eyebrow at him.

He swatted her on the ass. “Undress, Alannah. I don’t plan on repeating myself.”

“You kinda just did.” She grinned at him before reaching down to grab the hem of her shirt and pull it up over her head.  Her tank-top was next, and then she pushed her pants down. “This doesn’t really seem like _talking_.”

“Be quiet.” His lips twitched while he tried to keep a straight face. He lifted her up by the waist and draped her across the coffee table. “Can you stay still?”

“It really depends on your definition of _‘staying still_ ,’” she laughed.

Hackett disappeared for a moment then came back with a few silk strands.  He crouched beside her head and secured her wrists to the legs of the table, then moved down to the other end to secure her ankles.  He kissed her on the lips, his fingers brushing the undersides of her breasts for a moment.  He moved out of sight but she felt his fingers briefly touch her ankle before moving up her calf to her knee.

“When I said you were mine, Alannah.” He kissed the inside of her thigh before turning his head until both his lips and tongue were teasing her pussy, just barely grazing her. “I meant mine. _All mine._ ”

“That doesn’t clarify anything at all, _Admiral,_ ” she muttered in annoyance.

“Did I ask you a question?” He nipped her inner thigh and chuckled when she huffed at him. He licked the tender spot on her leg. “Don’t be in such a rush to understand everything, to define everything.  Enjoy the moment.  Focus on my fingers.”

She was having trouble focusing on anything but his damn fingers as they skimmed along her lips .  His tongue went back to teasing and tasting her.  He flicked his tongue across her clit before swirling it around her.  He nibbled her clit ever so slightly. _Fucking bastard._ Shepard itched to touch him, to wrap her legs around him but the damn restraints kept her stationary.

Hackett came back into view a moment later as he pushed his cock just barely into her. The head of it just nudged against her.  She strained against the ties trying to lift up against him.  He reached down and pinched her nipple hard in warning. He leaned down to lick the hardened peak.  His cock continued its torturously slow invasion, barely in and all the way out.

_Bastard._

“Do you want to be _mine?”_ Hackett whispered harshly in her ear while he controlled his movements against her. “Do you? Don’t answer now, Alannah. Think about it.  Think about how this feels.  You’ve got six months on that damn ship to consider your options.”

Any response she was going to make was lost completely when his mouth crushed against hers.  He slammed his cock hard into her and everything else faded into the sensations.  He rolled her nipple between his fingers, first one then the other.  His tongue explored her mouth.  He kissed like he fucked with pure dominance. 

He slammed into her so hard that she briefly worried that they were about to break another table. “I want you to be mine, girl.  Just mine. All mine.”

His fingers pinched hard on her nipple as he thrust into her.  She obeyed his muttered command to cum.  She bucked up against the restraints so hard that they almost gave.  While she was remembering how to breathe, Hackett gently released her and pulled her up into his lap on the couch.  He grabbed the blanket that rested on the top of it and folded it around her. Her head dropped against his shoulder.

“I…”

“I meant what I said.  I don’t want you to answer now.  I want you to wait until you get back from the first tour on the _Normandy_.” He covered her lips with a finger.

Shepard bit his finger. “Is anyone _else_ yours?”

“No, no, I’ve been too busy trying to seduce a junior officer.” He tapped her lips with his finger.

“How’s that going?”

He let his hand drift down between her legs. “You tell me.”

“It’s going well.” Her hips shifted a little as his fingers found their mark. “Too well. I’m trying to _talk._ ”

“I’m not stopping you.” He ran his fingers through her still moist pussy gathering the wetness and drifting further down to tease her ass.

Shepard reached down to grab his hand and hold it still. “Is this just about sex?”

“No.” His fingers stilled on her.

“I won’t change who I am for you.” She didn’t want to leave for the _Normandy_ without feeling like she understood more of what this was.

“Why the hell would I want to change you?” He frowned at her. “Stop worrying so damn much, Alannah.”

“Yes, sir. _Admiral_ , Sir.” She snickered at him.

“Brat.” He gently flicked her thigh.

 

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

_From: Shepard_

_To: Hackett_

_Subj: Spectres._

_I know there’s a reason this fucker is following me around._

_And I know that you know what the reason is._

_What’s the point of being in a secret relationship with an Admiral if I can’t get any inside information?_

_Shepard_

_P.S. I’m done thinking about it._

* * *

_From: Hackett_

_To: Shepard_

_Subj: re: Thinking about it._

_It’s only been five months._

_There’s still one to go._

_Hackett_

* * *

_From: Shepard_

_To: Hackett_

_Subj: re: Five months._

_I don’t need one more month to think about it._

_Unless you’ve changed your mind._

_If you have, let me know.  There’s a really hot L.T. on the ship._

_Shepard_

* * *

_From: Hackett_

_To: Shepard_

_Subj: re: Five months._

_I said you were mine._

_And I meant it._

_My position hasn’t changed._

_But the decision is yours.  I only hold what you give freely to me._

_Hackett_

* * *

_From: Shepard_

_To: Hackett_

_Subj: re: Decisions._

_I’ve thought a lot about it…about you._

_I find myself missing you.  Missing you a lot._

_It made the decision simple.  I’m definitely yours._

_Alannah_

* * *

_From: Hackett_

_To: Shepard_

_Subj: re: Decisions_

_My girl._

_Hackett_

* * *

Shepard closed her omni-tool and headed up to the bridge.  She didn’t know exactly how to respond to Hackett’s last message, or even if a response was needed.  Joker should be making the jump through the relay in a moment.  Nihlus already stood behind Jeff’s chair when she got there. 

 _What a surprise_.

_The fucker was everywhere._

A few hours later, Shepard knew exactly why the fucker was everywhere.  Some idiot had put her name up for first human spectre.  Honestly, who thought it would be a good idea to give her carte blanche to do whatever the hell she wanted? She didn’t get time to process it though because they were shoved off the ship on Eden Prime to deal with what turned out to be geth.

_Lots of damn geth._

They’d managed to disarm the bombs and clear out the remaining geth.  She told Joker to send the shuttle. They were ready for pick-up when she noticed Alenko being dragged towards the beam.  She rushed over and tossed him out of the way.

_Bad idea._

She woke up in the Med Bay feeling like her brain had been jumbled.  Or maybe that she’d drunk a vat of ryncol.  She waved off Alenko’s apologies and answered Anderson’s questions.  She headed up to the bridge and sat next to Joker while he flew them to the Citadel. 

Her head was still throbbing when they stepped out of the airlock.  It was not made better by the meeting with Ambassador Udina. Slimy fucker. She found herself running from one end of the goddamn station to the other and back again.  But she finally had the damn proof to take Saren down.

With Tali’s evidence in hand, Shepard had permission to hunt the fucker down.  And bonus, they made her the first human spectre. _Idiots._ She shared a celebratory drink with the crew in Flux while Udina and Anderson decided how the hell she was going to hunt Saren down without a ship.

She left the crew to their drinks and headed down to the lower wards to find a new omni-tool upgrade.  It was a better way to celebrate than getting buzzed on whatever the hell Doran had been serving.  She hadn’t quite managed to shake the headache from the beacon yet.  She glanced down at one of the omni-tools when finger tapped her shoulder.

She glanced back to find Hackett standing behind her. “Admiral?”

“Alannah.” He smiled at her. “Are you finished here?”

“Nope.” She grinned before turning back to deciding which one she wanted.

She finally made her purchase and let Hackett lead her towards a waiting skycab.  He was silent the entire ride.  He led her into what she assumed was one of the Alliance officers’ quarters on Citadel.  She started to unbuckle her armor but he swatted her hands away.

“Are you mine?” Hackett reached behind her to pull the tie out of her hair. He played with the long strands of multi-color hair.

“I said that I was.” She grinned when he tugged on her hair. “Yes, I am.”

“This is important, Alannah.” He looked at her seriously.  His hand moved from her hair to her neck, his fingers gently stroking her.  While he spoke, he slowly unbuckled her armor and stripped her down to just her underwear. “Anything that happens between us, if it makes you uncomfortable or scared, if it’s too much, you tell me to stop.  I’ll stop immediately and we’ll talk it over.  It’s critical that you be honest with me no matter what we’re doing.  I don’t want to go too far, or to hurt you.”

It was tempting to make a joke, but the look in his eyes stopped her.  She thought over what he said for several minutes before looking up to meet his eyes. “I understand.”

He brought her over to the nearby couch and sat down, pulling her down into his lap. “I read the report from Eden Prime. How’s your head?”

“I’m…” She started to say fine but he raised an eyebrow at her. “It’s still a little achy.”

“Poor girl.” He motioned for her to lie down on the couch with her head in his lap.  His fingers began to gently massage her head. “So how does it feel to be the first human spectre?”

“I’m still trying to figure out who the hell thought it was a good idea.” Alannah closed her eyes and let his fingers soothe away the last remnants of her headache.

“I did.”

_Fuck._

“Thanks.” She considered that for a moment before adding, “I think.”

“You proved yourself on Akuze.”

“I didn’t prove anything on Akuze aside from my ability to low crawl.” Alannah opened her eyes to frown up at him. “And a stubborn will to survive.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that.” Hackett seemed to be turning too serious for her liking.

Shepard turned on her side. She reached up with her hand to unzip his trousers. “There’s a little something that I’ve wanted to do for a while.”

“Alannah?” His fingers moved from her head to brush against her cheek.

“Please? _Admiral?_ ” She grinned up at him and didn’t wait for his nod to finish _opening_ his pants and pulling his cock out.

Her tongue grazed along the underside of his cock while her fingers started to gently stroke him.  She took him into her mouth to feel him harden inside her.  He shifted on the couch a little to give her better access.  Her fingers drifted down to squeeze his balls while she just held him in her mouth.  She moved off of him until her lips just covered the head of his cock.  Her tongue licking the pre-cum from it before drifting down to the base and back up again.

“Take it all the way in your mouth, girl.” Hackett tapped his finger on her head.

With a grin, she moved up on her knees to get better leverage.  Her tongue grazed him before moving her mouth over him.  His fingers tangled back into her hair as he controlled speed and depth of her movements.  She’d known that he would.  It made it better…she hadn’t thought that was possible.

 He kept one hand on her head while the other moved down into her panties.  His finger drifted along her ass to dip between her legs.  He separated her lips to push into her wetness.  She heard his murmured, ‘ _good girl,’_ as he thrust first one then a second finger into her.  When he fingers were completely covered with her juices, he moved up to her ass.  He circled around just teasing her hole. Drifting back down to wet them again, he repeated the process until she was pushing back against his fingers wanting more than just the barely there touch. 

“Do you want something, girl?” Hackett chuckled. 

One finger pressed gradually into her while his thumb skimmed across her clit.  Alannah couldn’t help but writhe back against his finger.  He gathered more moisture on his finger before adding a second one.  He sunk them deep into her.  She moaned around his cock.  His grip on her hair tightened as he moved her up and down on him. He’d pull her up to catch her breath then guide her back down.

With his thumb on her clit, he began pumping the two fingers into her.  They went in-sync with the hand pressing on her head. She arched back against his fingers.  Her moans muffled as he pushed her down on his cock one last time. His hips thrust up off the couch as he flooded her mouth and throat. 

She collapsed on her back a few moments later.  His fingers still gently stroked her head. “I may have found something better than aspirin.”

He reached back to a small box sitting on the coffee table and pulled out a simple chain necklace with an intricate lock for a pendant.  He slipped it around her neck. “Given your armor and living in the crew quarters, I expect there will be times that it isn’t possible for you to wear this.  But keep it close, that’s an order, Alannah.”

“Yes, Sir.” She grinned at him.

“Brat.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.” She sat up on the couch and leaned against him. “I kinda missed you, which is…different for me.”

“Different?” He lifted his arm to wrap it around her shoulder. 

“I’m an orphan.  I grew up on the streets.  Until I joined the Alliance, I never knew for certain where I’d be sleeping at night.  There’s never been a _home_ to go back to ever.  I learned very early not to miss people or places.  But…I missed you.” Shepard bit her lip afraid that she’d shared too much.

Hackett pulled her up into his lap with his arms tightly around her. “I missed you too, Alannah."


	6. Chapter 6

 

 

_From: Shepard_

_To: Hackett_

_Subj: Desk_

_Do you think Anderson ever noticed that the desk was broken?_

_Because I’m looking at it, and I definitely noticed that it’s a little…bent._

_Alannah_

* * *

_From: Hackett_

_To: Shepard_

_Subj: re: desk_

_I’ll be sure to ask the Captain the next time that I speak to him._

_I hear you picked up Doctor T’soni._

_Are you heading back to the Citadel?_

_Hackett_

 

* * *

_From: Shepard_

_To: Hackett_

_Subj: re: Citadel._

_Not yet._

_There are some weird readings from an asteroid over Terra Nova that we need to check out._

_Alannah_

 

* * *

_From: Hackett_

_To: Shepard_

_Subj: re: Citadel._

_You are heading to the Citadel._

_Hackett_

 

* * *

_From: Hackett_

_To: Shepard_

_Subj: re: Citadel_

_If you knew that, why didn’t you say that in the first place?_

_You could save us half the time if you’d do that._

_I can hear you thinking brat over the extranet._

_Alannah_

 

* * *

Rear Admiral Mikhailovich had started off her visit back to the Citadel on the wrong foot.  She somehow managed not to be _insubordinate_ when he insulted her ship and crew.  She walked out of the elevator and straight into a goddamn reporter. Alannah managed to handle the questions but it just added to the pissed off mood that she was in.

Running into first Harkin and then fucking Conrad Verner was the icing on the cake, or so she thought, until she Ambassador Udina decided to let her know how _disappointing_ the destruction of the ruins on Therum had been. 

 _‘We all get judged on how you behave._ ’

_Asshole._

She’d forgotten that the entire reason that she’d been on the fucking Citadel was to see Hackett. She got caught up trying to deal with the asshole from the Reds that had decided now was a good time to blackmail Commander Shepard.  He learned quickly that was a bad idea. With that taken care of, she made her way up to the Presidium to sit in front of one of fountains and stare at it until the red tinge of rage faded from her vision.

“I’ve been looking for you.” Hackett sat down about ten minutes later.

“Get in line,” she muttered.

“Rear Admiral Mikhailovich is…”

“A complete and utter asshole,” Shepard interrupted with an annoyed sigh.

Hackett frowned at her but she noticed the corners of his mouth turn up slightly. “He was begrudgingly impressed by you personally, the ship and crew on the other hand, he felt a little differently about.”

“Good for him.” She went back to staring at the fountain. “Fucking reporters and fucking gangs and fucking everything today has been fucked.”

“Ahh.”

“Ahh my ass.” She shoved impatiently at the hair in her face before standing up. “I’m heading back to the _Normandy_ before this day gets any worse.”

“Alannah, sit down.” He spoke quietly, but in a tone that brooked no objections.  So of course, she hesitated a moment before dropping back on the bench. “Brat.”

“What?” Shepard bit at her thumbnail. “I’m sitting.”

“I am seriously astounded by the fact that you have never once been reprimanded for insubordination,” he chuckled.

“You have to be caught to be reprimanded.  I _never_ get caught.” Shepard stood back up. “Are you going to require an additional follow-up to Mikhailovich’s report to make sure that he didn’t miss anything?”

“Reading my mind, Alannah?” Hackett followed her towards the elevator that headed down to C-Sec HQ.

“Let’s just try not to break the desk this time.” She winked at him.

“ _Brat_.”

Hackett acted suitably impressed while he _toured_ the ship with her.  It was…absurd. Completely absurd and she found it very difficult not to laugh.  She led him into _her_ quarters for a debrief.  The moment the doors closed, his hand was on her shoulder gently pushing down until she dropped to her knees.  She smirked up at him before reaching up to pull his trousers open. 

His fingers wrapped around her hair and used it to guide her towards his cock. His other hand brushed her hands aside when she tried to use them.  He ran his fingers along her jaw before using her hair to force her to swallow his whole cock.  He began fucking her that way.

She could tell that he was getting close but he pulled her off of him.  He led her over to the table in the middle of the room and bent her over it.  It didn’t take him long to yank her fatigues down and then his hand was gripping her hair again while he teased pussy with the head of his cock.

“You seem awfully anxious for something, Alannah.” He eased back when she tried to push back against him.

“I’m worried about the table,” she muttered then groaned when he tugged on her hair and swatted her ass.

“I could leave you like this.” He stepped back so his only connection to her was his fingers in her hair and the hand on her ass.

 _Fucker_ _._

“I believe that would be cruel and unusual punishment, Sir.” She glanced back at him. “Please?”

“That’s my girl.”

Hackett’s other hand glided up her thighs to shove a couple fingers into her dripping pussy.  He brushed the moisture across her ass before he took her pussy hard. His cock slammed into her while he gradually worked two then three fingers into her ass. He started gently but soon began matching the thrusts with that of his cock. 

“I’m going to take your ass at some point. Would you like that girl?”His fingers tightened in her hair pulling her head back sharply.  He leaned against her when they’d both climaxed, and she relished the strength and warmth of his body on hers.  Finally, he pulled out of her.

“Table fared better than the desk.” Shepard remarked when she regained her ability to speak. “I give it a ten out of ten, the desk that is.”

Hackett swatted her on the ass then stepped back and to _rearrange_ his clothing. “You can talk to me, when you have a bad day.”

She twisted around until she was sitting on the edge of the table and gave him a dubious look. “I don’t do that.”

“Talk? Or have bad days?” He helped her straighten her clothing.

“Confide.” It was hard to meet his eyes so she turned away. “I don’t trust…easily.”

Hackett drew her into his arms. “I’ll keep your secrets, Alannah.”

“I’d kill for chocolate cake, and I never wear underwear in bed,” she laughed.

“Brat.”

“Only a couple of times today? I must be losing my touch.” She glanced over at the clock on the wall. “Maybe another day, it’s time the _Normandy_ left the Citadel.”

“I meant what I said.” He kissed the side of her neck then swatted her ass again when she gave him a mock salute. “ _Alannah_.”

“Sir, yes, sir.” She smirked at him. “If I feel the need to bare my soul, you’ll be the first person on the list.”

He raised his eyes towards the ceiling.

“You’re trying really hard not to say brat again, aren’t you?”

 


	7. Chapter 7

_From: Shepard_

_To: Hackett_

_Subj: Corporal Toombs._

_His body is being sent to Arcturus along with the Cerberus scientist.  He wouldn’t stand down._

_He knew me…but I couldn’t talk him into putting his weapon away. I had to shoot him._

_My report is attached._

_Shepard_

* * *

_From: Hackett_

_To: Shepard_

_Subj: re: Corporal Toombs._

_Are you ok?_

_Hackett_

* * *

_From: Shepard_

_To: Hackett_

_Subj: re: Corporal Toombs._

_The only response that I can think of involves a string of four letter words that will probably cost me a rank…or two._

_Shepard_

* * *

 

_From: Hackett_

_To: Shepard_

_Subj: re: Corporal Toombs._

_I’ll take that as a no, you aren’t ok._

_The Normandy is due for a brief restock._

_Head to Arcturus, now._

_Hackett_

* * *

She briefly considering telling him to fuck off, but that wouldn’t be good for either her career or relationship. So she told joker to head to Arcturus.  The crew could use a bit of shore-leave.  They’d spent days hopping from system to system running fucking missions for Fifth Fleet.  They’d taken care of the geth and the mind-controlling plant on Feros. Then they’d had the unpleasant task of finding Admiral Kahoku’s body. _Fucking terrorists._   It was a good time to take a break before they headed to Noveria.

Once she’d gotten everything squared away, she walked the familiar hallways to find the Admiral’s office.  His yeoman informed her that he’d already headed to his quarters. So Shepard made her way to Hackett’s apartment.  She thought maybe he’d be angry with her but when the door opened; he just pulled her into the room and into a hug.

“Are we going to…” She asked when his hands didn’t wander anywhere she expected them to.

Hackett frowned down at her. “No, we aren’t.”

“But? Why?” She was really confused.

“I don’t think that’s the kind of touch that you need right now,” he answered.  They moved over to his couch and she found herself being held gently in his arms. “Tell me about Corporal Toombs.”

“He’s dead.”

“ _Alannah_.” His fingers moved down to play with the chain around her neck.

“You told me to stop whoever was killing the scientists.  I failed to talk him down.  It was either let him shoot the scientist, or shoot him. I took the shot.” She kept her tone light, lighter than she felt. “It’s fucking ironic.  I guess I really am the _lone_ fucking survivor of Akuze now.  Goddamn Cerberus.”

Hackett’s fingers continued to gentle stroke her neck. “Do you want to talk about Akuze?”

“No.”

“Have you ever talked about it?” He asked.

“No one needs that in their head.” She tilted her head a little so he could see her raised eyebrow.

“It’s in yours and maybe it would help if you shared?” His thumb brushed along her jawline.

“What are the chances of my getting up off this couch without telling you anything?” She rolled her eyes at him.

“Slim.”

_That’s what she fucking thought._

“Alannah?” He prompted after ten minutes of silence.

“It’s not like I’m crying myself to sleep at night or something,” she muttered softly. “It’s just that nightmare that every so often rears its ugly head.  You know, I don’t really remember their faces anymore.  It’s the screams. I remember the acrid smell of acid.  Thresher Maw acid burns like fire; I can’t imagine what Toombs must’ve gone through. Poor man. I should’ve shot the fucking scientist.”

“You did the right thing.” Hackett disagreed with her.

“For whom? The right fucking thing for whom? For the Alliance? Maybe. For the fifty men who died that night? No. I didn’t…I should’ve shot the fucking bastard in the head.” She rubbed her hands along her legs for moment to try to contain the desire to slam her fist into something or someone. _Goddamn Cerberus._ “Truth or dare, Admiral?”

“Truth.”

She’d known that he’d say truth. “What do _you_ do when you have to make a decision where there’s no right answer?”

“I make the decision that I know I can live with…that I can sleep with.” Hackett reached down to cover her hands. “Truth or Dare?”

“Dare.” She’d had enough truth for one fucking afternoon.

“Truth.”

_Apparently, she hadn’t._

“We _really_ need to work on your understanding of drinking games.” Alannah laughed. “Fine, truth it is.”

“Did you make the right decision Ontarom?” He shifted her around in his lap so they were eye to eye.

_Bastard._

She tried to look away but his fingers turned her head back around. “No.”

“Alannah.”

She looked up into his eyes. “I’m sorry. Maybe it’s not the _Alliance_ fucking way, but I wish I had shot that goddamn fucker in the head when I had the chance. He deserved to die.  I should’ve started at his toe and worked my way up to his head.”

“Would that have brought answers to what Cerberus was up to?” Hackett asked.

Her shoulders slumped forward. “No. Damn it. No, I made the right decision, even if it doesn’t feel like it.  Truth or dare?”

“Dare.” He chuckled when she grinned at him.

“Oh this is… _not_ an opportunity that I should waste.” Shepard swiveled around until she was straddling him. Her rubbed at her chin absently while she thought carefully about it. “I _dare_ you to let me have control…for an hour.”

“Just an hour?”

“Yep.” She knew exactly what she would do with an hour.

“You have an hour.” He leaned back and crossed his arms. “I’d use it _wisely_ , Alannah.”

She planned on using it wisely.  Pulling herself to her feet, she stepped back away from him and wandered into the bedroom to find the ties that he’d used on her.  He was still sitting with his arms folded across his chest when she got back.

“Strip.”Alannah twirled the ties around in her hand while she watched him undress.  She flicked him with one of the ties when he started to take too long. He gave her a warning look but she just grinned mischievously at him and flicked him on the ass again. “You agreed to the dare, you can’t back out now, _Admiral._ ”

“The hour will be over eventually.” He reminded her.

“I won’t waste any time then.” Alannah motioned for him to step over towards the bookshelf, making sure to flick him with the tie again.  She might pay for this later, but it was definitely going to be worth it. “Turn around.”

Once his back was against the bookshelf, she grabbed his wrists to tie them to the hooks that she’d noticed underneath a couple of the shelves.  She made sure it was tight, but not uncomfortable before doing the same to his ankles.  Her fingers teased along the back of his legs.  She bit back a laugh when she found a ticklish spot on the back of knees.

“Admiral Hackett is ticklish.” She ran the soft strands of some of her hair along his leg. “That is fascinating.”

“ _Girl,_ ” he muttered under his breath.

“Did I ask _you_ a question, _Admiral_?” Alannah leaned back to look up at him. “I don’t recall asking you one. Answer me.”

“No, you didn’t.”

“Then why are you speaking?” She let her fingers ghost lightly over the ticklish spot again. “Don’t do it again.”

Her fingers drifted further up his legs. The muscles underneath her hands tightened in anticipation.  She leaned close enough that he had to be feeling her breath against his cock.   An inch or two closer let her lips just touch the head, he twitched underneath her.  Her tongue teased him a little before backing away when he tried to push into her mouth.

“None of that.” She admonished though it was hard to keep the laughter from her voice. “My pace, not yours.  Maybe I should wait until you say please?”

From the glint in his eyes, that might not happen within an hour or ever.  Shepard briefly considered just leaving him tied up, but that wasn’t part of the game.  She ran her tongue around the head before taking him into her mouth.  She heard his sharp intake of breath. 

She brought him close to the edge, and then moved away completely.  She did it multiple times before he was straining to break the ties.   The fifth time that she did it; she had to wrap her fingers tightly around the base of his cock to stop his orgasm.  She could feel his muscles trembling.

“You have fifteen minutes.” Hackett’s voice was barely a whisper. “Make them count, girl.”

The slight undertone in his words gave her a moment of hesitation. She took him in her mouth again.  Her fingers massaged and tugged on his balls until he erupted in her mouth.  She waited until he’d finished before standing up.

 She wandered back over to the couch and collapsed on to it. “That was…fun.”

“Forget something, girl?” Hackett tested the strength of the ties on his wrists.

“I’ve got six minutes.” She glanced over at the clock.

“Do you?” He jerked both arms down hard enough that the hooks ripped out of the shelf.  He stalked towards her. “Was it fun, brat?”

“Yes.  I should get back to the _Normandy.”_ She stood up to start for the door and a moment later found herself on her back on the couch with Hackett on top of her, his hand ripping open the top of her cargo pants. “Or not. I could just stay here. I’ll just stay here.”

“You’ll leave when I say you can, girl.” His mouth covered hers as his fingers pushed inside of her, first one then a second and a third. His head lifted enough so he could whisper against her lips. “Hours up, Alannah.”

“So it is.” Her breath caught in her throat when he flicked her clit with his thumb.

She lifted her hips up to meet his hand. She expected him to tease her like she’d done to him.  But instead, he captured her mouth again while letting her grind against his fingers.

“Cum for me, girl.  That’s right. Fuck yourself on my fingers. Remember that your mine,” he ordered.  It wasn’t long before she was screaming into his kiss as she came.  He withdrew his hand gently and eased off her a little.

“Truth or dare?” He muttered into her ear.

“Truth.” She’d had enough dares for one day.

“Would you rather be mine…or be in control?” The look in his eyes told her that it was an important question.

So she answered honestly…without the side of sarcasm.

“ _Yours._ ”

 


	8. Chapter 8

The good news?

Shepard was now the proud owner of a retirement home on Intai’sei.

The bad news?

She’d gotten a little banged up from one of the damn rockets from an anti-tank mercenary.  It was the reason that she was now trying to relax on a recliner in her new home.  Admiral Ahern had wanted her to head to the medical bay.  She figured that a shot of vodka and an aspirin would cure most of what ailed her. She ignored the beep on her omni-tool and dozed instead.

A hand resting on her knee woke her up. Not because it was there, but because it rested on one of her bruises.

“Move it, or lose it.” She muttered without opening her eyes.

“Alannah?”

_Damn._

Shepard opened her eyes to find Hackett sitting on the edge of the recliner. “Please remove your hand from the giant bruise that it’s currently gouging into.”

“Bruise?” Hackett frowned down at her.

“The simulations at Pinnacle Station are…very real.” She lifted up the hem of her t-shirt to reveal the colorful marks that decorated both of her sides. 

“So this is all from the _simulation_?” His eyes moved from the bruises up to her face.

She hesitated a moment before nodding.  It was _technically_ the truth.

“I understand that Admiral Ahern has been working on an experimental scenario that wasn’t quite finished, but you just had to try it.” Hackett’s eyes narrowed.

“I…” Alannah scratched the back of her neck for a moment. “It was a challenge. And…as far as bets go, this is definitely the best thing that I’ve ever won.”

“And what would’ve happened if you lost the bet? Hmm?” He asked. “Did the fact that you might die never cross your mind?”

“It did when the rocket exploded on my back.” She winced a little when she sat up in the recliner. “I’m a marine, Admiral.  I don’t wander through the garden picking tulips.  I shoot things.  Sometimes, those things shoot back.”

His jaw tightened and the steel in his eyes told her that he wasn’t _amused_.  He stood up abruptly and headed over to the large windows.  Alannah was tempted to follow but she decided to lie back down.  Everything hurt right now.  He could be pissed off if he wanted.  She wasn’t going to stop being a brash soldier just because they were…involved.

“How’d you know I was here?” Her curiosity got the better of her.

“Admiral Ahern sent me a report.  He wanted me to know how impressed that he was with you.  He also wanted me to know that you’d refused to go to the Med Bay.” Hackett turned around towards her. “When you get back to the _Normandy_ , you _will_ let Doctor Chakwas give you a full evaluation, do you understand me?”

“Sir, yes, sir.” Shepard grinned at him.

“ _Brat_ ,” he muttered with pure frustration. “If you weren’t covered in bruises, I’d spank your damn ass.”

“Maybe next time?”

“Alannah.” His voice hardened a little but she caught the amusement in his eyes. “How bruised are you?”

“Very.”

“Show me.” Hackett leaned back against the railing by the window. He motioned for her to stand up. “I want to see them all, now, girl.”

Shepard rolled her eyes but pushed herself up off the recliner.  She should’ve taken a hot shower when she arrived.  Her muscles were tightening up.  It took longer than it should’ve to remove her fatigues.  He gestured for her to spin around slowly.  She finally stood with her hip leaning against the side of the chair while he watched her in silence.

“I’m going to shower.” She started to walk towards the bathroom. 

He was going to follow, she knew that.  He stepped into the shower stall with her as she expected.  What Alannah hadn’t anticipated was the gentle hands that took the soap from her and the care with which he massaged her body.  The hot water helped her back start to relax.  The alternating soft but firm fingers working her muscles took the rest of the strain away. 

“Poor, bruised girl.” Hackett knelt in front of her while his hands eased her back against the wall.  He slid his hand up the back of her leg before lifting it up over her shoulder. “Hold on to my shoulders.”

She started to ask a question but his tongue flicked against her clit and her hands gripped his shoulders tightly.  He kept an arm around her for support while he _explored_ her pussy thoroughly. The tender caresses brought her to the brink and over.  She had a brief moment of fear that she’d slip on the wet floor but Hackett somehow managed to support her without touching one of her bruises.

“Endorphins are wonderful for relaxing muscles.” He carried her out of the shower and helped her dry off.  With her still wrapped in a towel, he lifted her up and set back down on the recliner with her in his lap. “I don’t expect you to _stop_ being a marine, Alannah.  But like _any_ officer or soldier, I expect you to use caution where appropriate.  Turning the safeties off of a simulation is _not_ an acceptable risk.”

“But it was a chance to have a house.” She gestured around the room. “It’s a real home. That I own.  No one can take it away from me.”

“No, they can’t.” His fingers tapped the side of her head until she turned her eyes towards him. “It’s a good home.”

“It is.” Shepard smiled at him before shifting in his lap until she was straddling him.  He was still naked…they both were. _Interesting._ She let the towel fall away. “And it’s mine.”

He raised an eyebrow at her. “You’re covered in bruises.  I want you to take it easy.”

“So don’t grip me too tightly, _Admiral_.” She leaned forward to whisper against his ear.  Her lips brushed against him as she slowly lowered herself enough that her pussy just hovered over his hardening cock. “If you think I’m walking out this door without…please?”

His hands slid up her thighs to hold her hips.  He waited until she’d sunk all the way to start controlling the pace. “That’s my girl.”

Hackett leaned forward to take one of her nipples in his mouth.  He flicked his tongue across it before taking it between his teeth and letting her movements on him pull the nipple.  He switched to her other nipple while lifting her up and thrusting her back down on his cock.  She gripped his shoulders tightly as she rode him. 

Her legs started to tremble when they’d _finished_ and he lifted her up so that she wasn’t supporting her weight any longer.  She rested her forehead on top of his shoulder. “Thank you.”

“We will revisit your _insubordination_ when you aren’t black and blue, Alannah.” His beard tickled her neck.

“That’s motivation to stay black and blue,” she muttered.

_“Alannah.”_

“Yes, sir, Admiral, sir.” Her shoulders shook with laughter. She tilted her head to the side to smile up at him.

Hackett covered his eyes with his hands. “How did you survive boot camp?”

“My drill instructor did briefly consider throwing me out of an airlock.” Alannah winked at him.

“What changed his mind?” Hackett asked when she didn’t add anything else.

“A good blowjob.” She chuckled at the horrified look on his face. “I’m kidding.  He changed his mind when I beat every damn record that _he_ held. It’s amazing what you can get away with when you’re the best goddamn sniper in your class.”

He shifted her a little in his lap. “I don’t think _impulsive_ should be your middle name. I think _trouble_ is more appropriate.”

“You say the sweetest things.” She winked at him before easing herself up out of his lap. “I’ve got to get the Mako back to the _Normandy_.  We’re supposed to be shutting down that damn rogue VI on the moon.”

“Try to avoid more bruises, Alannah.”

She gave him a salute before heading over to find her clothes.

 


	9. Chapter 9

_From: Shepard_

_To: Hackett_

_Subj: Data Module._

_I chased Goddamn fucking monkeys for three fucking hours._

_And then we ran into geth.  The damn probe is on its way back to Artcturus with the data intact._

_Seriously?_

_Would you like me to deliver your mail next?_

_Or perhaps iron your uniform?_

_Shepard_

* * *

_From: Hackett_

_To: Shepard_

_Subj: re: Data Module._

_The Alliance thanks you for your dedication._

_Hackett_

* * *

_From: Shepard_

_To: Hackett_

_Subj: re: dedication._

_The Alliance can respectfully bite me.  
_

_Shepard_

* * *

_From: Hackett_

_To: Shepard_

_Subj: re: dedication_

_I think you should head to Arcturus._

_Hackett_

* * *

_From: Shepard_

_To Hackett:_

_Subject: re: Arcturus._

_I’d love to, but I have to try to rescue drugged researchers from biotic terrorists._

_And then I think I have to clean the outside of the Normandy with my damn toothbrush.  
_

_Thanks anyway._

_Shepard_

* * *

_Inter-Relay Text Chat_

_Location: Cacus System_

_From: Shepard_

_To: Hackett_

_18:17 S: It did not go very well._

_18:22 H: I saw the report. What the hell happened?_

_18:23 S: A large Krogan with a shotgun who doesn’t understand be careful where you aim your weapon._

_18:24 S: He was aiming for one of the biotics but hit a canister with explosives that ended up killing more than the biotic.  We managed to save three of the researchers._

_18:26 H: You did your best, that’s all I can ask._

_18:27 S: It still sucks._

_18:29 H: Head for Arcturus._

_18:31 S: I’m supposed to be heading to the Armstrong Cluser to investigate the geth incursions._

_18:32 H: Head to Arcturus, Alannah. That’s not a request or a suggestion. That’s an order._

_18:33 S: I’ll tell Joker to head to the nearest relay._

_18:34 User has disconnected._

* * *

The crew was dismissed from the ship for shore-leave once they docked at the station, Admiral Hackett’s orders.  Shepard waited on the bridge for him to arrive for his _inspection_.  He didn’t say anything to her when he stepped on the ship.  He walked over to her and hooked his finger into the necklace around her neck.  She jolted forward when he used it to drag her through the door, down the stairs and over into her quarters.

“Well, hello to you too,” she muttered.

His hand swatted her on the ass. “Do not speak, Alannah.”

_It was going to be one of those visits._

He set a bag in one of the chairs in the room before slowly removing all of _her_ clothes.  He pushed her down onto the table in the center of the room.  He tied her wrists together with her arms over her head.  He slid a blindfold over her head and everything went dark. 

“Do not move.  Do not speak.  The only word I want to hear from you if needed is stop. Do you understand, Alannah? Nod if you understand.”  He waited until she nodded to continue.

She felt his fingers glide over her hairline before pressing something into her ears and then everything went silent. His hands were gentle at first. He caressed every inch of her body.  He began to alternate the caresses with gradually intensifying swats to the thighs and up higher.  It went on for minutes, and then he’d slide a finger or two into her pussy, bringing her right to the edge before going back to what he’d been doing before.

It wasn’t the spanking that was getting to her.  The inability to hear started as a slow fear that began to escalate into full blown panic.  They’d talked about trying sensory deprivation previously, and she’d been interested.  But she’d neglected to mention to the Admiral that she’d had a brief episode as kid with hearing loss.  She hadn’t anticipated the panic that not being able to hear would cause.

_Stop._

_It needs to stop._

_Make it stop._

She couldn’t think straight. The wonderful warm feelings that had started began to completely fade as the fear grew. She was slipping down the slope straight into panic.  She yanked at the restraints on her wrists.  She felt them dig into her skin.

“Stop.” She started whispering but gradually her voice rose. She freaked out and began to struggle harder against the restraints. “Please, stop. _Stop. Stop, damn it._ ”

Alannah kept muttering stop long after Hackett had released her and gathered her into his arms.  He pulled the plugs from her ears and the blindfold from her eyes.  The relief of her senses returning was overwhelming. She dropped her head against his shoulder while her entire body shook. He placed gentle kisses on her forehead and stroked her hair until her heart rate returned to normal and she stopped trembling.

“Tell me what happened, Alannah.” His fingers continued to soothe her.

“I panicked.”

“I know that, girl, why did you panic?” Hackett clarified his question.  He spoke in calm tones.

“I…” She raised her hand up to rest it on his chest. “I left the orphanage when I was eight. The streets were better than that nightmare. It was easy to leave since I was at a hospital recovering.”

“Recovering?” Hackett prompted her after she felt silent.

“The woman who ran the orphanage, the one that gave me my name, she beat us, frequently. I’ve never liked bullies and I used to get between her and the younger children.” Alannah could feel the old anger in her rising. She took a few deep breaths to let it fade.  “She beat me in the head so badly when I was eight that I lost my hearing for a few weeks.  They didn’t know if it was going to be permanent or not.  I’m sorry. I should’ve mentioned it I guess. I didn’t think about it affecting me likes this.”

Hackett didn’t respond.  He stood up and lifted her up with him to carry her over to the bed.  He placed her down on her back and then stretched out beside her.  She relished the feeling of his strong hand that began caressing a line from her thigh up her side to her breast and then back down again.  It was comforting. He eased her over in his arms to hold her tightly against him. 

His lips brushed against her ear. “You’ve got nothing, _nothing_ to apologize for Alannah.  You did exactly what you were supposed to. You trusted me to stop when you asked.  You did beautifully, girl.”

Shepard lifted a hand to play with his beard. “The panic overwhelmed the pleasure, it’s a shame really. Too waste an empty ship like that.”

“Incorrigible girl.” He chuckled against her neck.

“You say that but you mean brat.” She twisted her head to the right so that she could press her lips against his. “Is the inspection over then?”

The hand stroking her side moved between her legs. “Would you like to get back to the pleasure part, Alannah?”

“Yes. Please.”

Hackett rolled over on his back.  “Ride me then, I want to watch you move.”

“Watch me move? Or make me move?” She grinned at him when his hands gripped her waist.

“There really isn’t a difference, girl.” He lifted her up and then forced her down on his cock. “Lean over.”

She bent over until he could reach her hair. He pulled her the rest of the way down until their lips met while his other hand continued to control the rhythm of her movements.  She was so close but a question hovered in her mind and she couldn’t let it go. “Are you…”

“You _are_ mine, Alannah. You didn’t disappoint me today; I know you’re worrying about it. Let it go, sweetheart. You did well.  I’m pleased.” His hand began forcing her to move faster. “I want to watch you. See the pleasure on your face.  Let go, just let it go.”

He let go of her hair and his hand moved between their bodies.  The moment his fingers stroked against her clit, it was like an explosion that shook her to the core.  She felt him arch up into her.  She kept her eyes on his the entire time until she finally collapsed against his body.  His arms wrapped around her tightly.

“Did we pass the inspection?” She lifted her head up and rested her chin on her hands.  She grinned up at him. “I’d hate to go to all this work to not pass.”

Hackett shook his head with a laugh. “I’m running out of ways to call you a brat.”

“That’s not very inventive of you.” Alannah pressed her head against his chest to listen to his heartbeat. “I think I’ll get that for a tattoo.”

He lifted his hand to rest in her hair. “Hush now, girl. Let me enjoy your warmth.”


	10. Chapter 10

_From: Hackett_

_To: Shepard_

_Subj: Espionage Probe._

_I need you to head to the Voyager Cluster to find it._

_If someone discovers the nuclear payload attached, it would not be a good thing._

_Hackett_

* * *

_From: Shepard_

_To: Hackett_

_Subj: re: Espionage Probe._

_It’s like I exist only to run errands for you._

_How many ships are there in the fleet?_

_Shepard_

* * *

_From: Hackett_

_To: Shepard_

_Subj: re: Espionage Probe._

_You’re the only Spectre in the Alliance._

_If you get in trouble, you’re a damn Council Spectre; you can get away with it._

_Hackett_

* * *

_From: Shepard_

_To: Hackett_

_Subj: You…_

_…might have a point._

_If I get blown up by a damn nuclear explosion, I will haunt you._

_And I will not be a goddamn friendly ghost._

_Shepard_

* * *

_From: Shepard_

_To: Hackett_

_Subj: Are you trying to kill me?_

_Seriously._

_My report on the trap that you sent me into is attached._

_I was about five seconds away from being a ghost._

_This is not my happy face._

_Shepard_

* * *

Alannah pushed away from her terminal with an aggravated sigh.  They’d hopped through practically every fucking relay running missions for Fifth Fleet.  If she hadn’t enjoyed the sound of Hackett’s voice so much, she’d be tempted to ignore his next _request_.   The Council wanted her to head for Virmire at some point.  She was about to walk up to the CIC when the incoming message light on her terminal flashed.

* * *

_From: Alex_

_To: Cadence_

_Subj: Rumors._

_I’m hearing some interesting things about you._

_My ship’s currently docked at Arcturus._

_Join me for lunch at the officer’s mess? 1300?_

_Alex_

* * *

“Shit.”

Alex had been her last boyfriend.  They’d dated off and on for a few years.  That was until he’d turned into a complete asshole and she’d broken up with him.  She hadn’t talked to him in a while not since she found out that he had cheated on her.  That’s why they broke up.  She’d normally ignore his message, but she really wanted to know what the fucking rumors were. 

The Officer’s Mess on Arcturus always seemed more like an upscale bar than anything else.  She was late, of course, when she finally walked inside to head over to greet Alex.  A familiar figure at the table next to his table caught her attention. 

  _Hackett_.

_Well that was just fucking great._

“Alex.” Alannah dropped into the chair across from him without bothering to acknowledge his attempt to hug her. “You summoned me?”

“Are you sleeping with an officer?” He got straight to the point.

“Well, that really depends.  Do you consider masturbation sleeping with yourself? Because if so, technically, I sleep with an officer every damn night.” She grinned when she heard Hackett choke on whatever he’d just taken a bite of while trying not to laugh.   That’s what the bastard got for eavesdropping.

“Bitch.” Alex frowned at her. “It could ruin your career. Hell, I could ruin it for you.”

“Why am I here?” She was not getting into an argument with her ex fucking boyfriend in public with fucking Hackett listening to every damn word. 

“I’m worried about you.”

“About me?” She raised an eyebrow.

“I still care about you.” Alex waved the waiter away impatiently. “I miss you.”

 “Really? You fucking miss me. What about the woman that you were screwing behind my back?” She should have just walked away from him, but…no one pushed her buttons like he did. “We broke up ages ago and now that you’ve heard rumors that I moved on, you suddenly think that you want to get all in my business again.”

“Alannah.” His voice started to rise above the ambient noise in the mess.

Alannah stood up so suddenly that she knocked over her glass. “You know better than to call me that.  You _know_ better.”

“Sit down.”

“This conversation is over.  I suggest that you get back to your _ship_ and I’ll get back to mine.” She stormed out of the room before she assaulted a fellow officer in the middle of the fucking mess.

Shepard didn’t go to the _Normandy_. She headed to one of the gyms on the station. She’d only been pounding away at the punching bag for about ten minutes when she heard the door open.  Ignoring the intrusion, she vented her frustration through her fists. 

 “Fuck.” Alannah grabbed the bag to stop its swinging motion and rested her forehead against it.  She slammed her fist into the side of it one last time. “Fucking, fuck, fuck me, goddamn son-of-a-bitch.”

“That was quite a display.”

She glanced over her shoulder to find Hackett sitting on one of the weight benches. “I didn’t punch him this time.”

“Is there a history between you and Captain Webb?” Hackett looked surprised.

“It was a few months after Akuze.  We met while I was on medical leave.  We broke up a year ago or so.”  Alannah stretched for a few minutes before collapsing on her back on one of the floor mats.

“He’s an officer.”  He reminded her.

“And?” She lifted her head to glare at him before dropping it on the mat again. “You’re an officer. Hell, you are _the_ officer as far as the Alliance is concerned.”

“Alannah…”

“No.” She pushed herself up off the mat. “I’ve had enough for one fucking day. The _Normandy_ is heading to Virmire. Have a good day, _Admiral_.”

Hackett reached out for her but she dodged around him. “I’m not finished talking to you.”

She paused in the doorway to look back at him. “Not today, sir, please?  I am all out of…just not right now.”

“Are you ashamed of our relationship?” He changed topics so fast that it took her a moment to register.

“No.”

“Then why are you so upset at the rumors?” He asked.

“It’s not the rumors.  With all due respect, you know Alex Webb in an _official_ Alliance capacity.  That back in the mess, it had nothing to do with the rumors or any relationship that I might or might not be in with you.  It had nothing to do with _us_.”  Alannah bit her thumbnail for a moment before continuing. “I’m not _ashamed_ …if you want to send out a memo to the whole fucking fleet I wouldn’t care.”

“Come here, Alannah.” Hackett patted the bench that he was sitting on.

She shook her head. “I need some…space…or vodka. Maybe both.”

He tapped the bench again and stared pointedly at her. “Take a seat.”

Shepard stepped back into the room and took a seat…on the bench across the room.  She swung around to lie on her back and stare up at the ceiling. “I’m distinctly lacking vodka.”

“Truth or dare?” He spoke after watching her for a moment.

“Truth.” She tilted her head so she could see him.

“Why did you break up with Webb?” He leaned forward with his arms resting on his legs.

_Bastard._

Alannah swung back around into a seated position. “Mainly? He’s a cheating, lying bastard.  And because he…I am not fucking talking about this, fuck the game and fuck you too.”      

“Alannah.” He stood up and stepped closer.

“I’m going back to the _Normandy_. You can try to order me to stay and talk, but I’m not going to.  I’ve got to rescue a team on Virmire and a rogue Spectre to kill.” She shoved off of the bench and strode towards the door. 

Hackett’s arm shot out and grabbed the hem of her shirt.  He dragged her around until she was pressed up against the wall.   She spun around and shoved him away from her.

“We are not finished here.” His fingers were still gripping her shirt tightly.

She swept his leg out from under him. Hackett went down taking her with him.  She crashed down on top of him and he immediately flipped them around so he was on top.  He pushed her pants down to her ankles and pulled himself out of his own trousers.  Before it even registered what he was doing or where they were, he was thrusting his cock up into her.

 It was hard, hot and angry sex.  He slammed into her repeatedly.  She met his thrusts with fire in her eyes.  She slid her fingers under his shirt and clawed at his back.  He yanked them out and pushed them up over her head.   He leaned down to bite the side of her neck hard enough to leave a mark while he drove into her.  When they finished, he still held her wrists up over her head in one of his hands.

“Well, that was much better than beating up a punching bag.” Her head leaned back against the floor.


	11. Chapter 11

_From: Shepard_

_To: Hackett_

_Subj: I forgot to mention…_

_Williams found a tattoo artist on the Citadel._

_The last time we were there, we all got tattoos._

_Shepard_

* * *

_From: Hackett_

_To: Shepard_

_Subj: re: Tattoos?_

_I didn’t see it._

_What did you get?_

_Hackett_

* * *

_From: Shepard_

_To: Hackett_

_Subj: re Tattoos?_

_Maybe that’s because you didn’t look at my back._

_Shepard_

* * *

_From: Hackett_

_To: Shepard_

_Subj: re: Tattoos?_

_Alannah,_

_What tattoo did you get?_

_Hackett_

* * *

_From: Shepard_

_To: Hackett_

_Subj: re: Tattoos?_

_It’s not really something that I can explain._

_You really have to see it._

_Shepard_

* * *

Alannah had to time it perfectly. She had to get inside Hackett’s office _before_ his yeoman arrived and definitely before he showed up.  She’d noticed the last time she was in his office that his desk was huge, and certainly large enough for someone to hide underneath without being seen.  

It was thirty minutes before she heard familiar footsteps in the room.  He spoke with his yeoman for a few moments.  Then the steps moved towards his comm. She listened to him converse with Captain Anderson and Ambassador Udina.  Then he moved closer.  She waited until he’d gotten into his chair and slid up to his desk before making her move.

Her hands rested gently on his knees and she slowly spread his legs.  “ _Admiral.”_

Whatever he was about to say was lost when her hands moved up his inner thighs.  Her fingers unzipped his pants and slid inside. He lowered his chair enough that she could move her head up into his lap.  His hand gently brushed the hair out of her face so he could watch her as she slid his cock into her mouth.

“Play with yourself, Alannah.” It might have been a whisper but it was definitely a command. “You _will_ cum with me.”

 _Definitely a command_.

The fingers in her hair were gentle and they stayed that way through to the end. He let her control the movement and pace.  Her fingers delved between her legs as she masturbated.  Her tongue flicked around the head of his cock. But given that time was limited, she didn’t waste it teasing him.  She took him deep in her throat when he was finally ready to cum. 

He pushed her back a moment later when she heard his door open.  It was damned impressive how quickly he _recovered_ to engage in conversation with his yeoman. He dismissed her and then eased his chair back.

“Morning.” She smirked up at him.

“So let’s see the tattoo.” Hackett helped her out from under the desk.

“We decided to get the lines of our rank on our shoulders.” Alannah turned around.

He reached down to lift her shirt up from the back until he could see her shoulders.  There was a long moment of silence. “That is _not_ your rank, _Commander_.”

“Damn. Fucking tattoo artist must have screwed it up. _Bastard._ ” She grinned at Hackett over her shoulder. “Or maybe it’s wishful thinking?”

His fingers brushed against the tattoo before he leaned in a little closer to get a better look. “I can’t read the numbers underneath the rank.”

Shepard turned around and reached up to the collar of his shirt to pull out his dog-tags.  She held the back up so he could see _his_ military identification number.  She tapped a finger against the number, then twisted back around.

“Why?”

“I don’t know,” she shrugged.  She bit her thumbnail for a moment before continuing. “I had my bars for my rank done…and then…it just kind of happened.”

His fingers continued to trace the tattoo. “You want to be _mine._ ”

“We already established that.” Alannah pulled her shirt back down and put a little distance between them.

“We did. But that’s a physical reminder that you can’t remove.  And it’s personal…private.” His intensity made her…uneasy.

“Impulsive is what it was,” she countered.

“Truth or dare?”

“Neither.” Shepard wasn’t getting trapped into the truth before she was ready to admit it to herself. “I need to get back to the ship.  We’re supposed to be on our way to the Citadel.”

“ _Alannah_.”

She heard him call her but she was already out the door. He could be aggravated with her later.  She couldn’t delay hunting down Saren any longer and hopefully, after everything on Virmire, the council was ready to do something.  She just…needed to see him one last time before they went.

The council members were a bunch of bastards.  Udina was a bastard.  Shepard stood at the bar with her crew waiting for Captain Anderson.

“To Kaidan Alenko.” Shepard raised her shot glass with the rest of them, drank before slamming the empty glass down on the bar. “Fair winds, LT, fair winds.”

“Commander?” Anderson tapped her on the shoulder. “I have a plan.”

* * *

_From: Hackett_

_To: Shepard_

_Subj: Piracy._

_It’s generally considered to be a bad thing by the Alliance._

_Captain Anderson explained the situation. Good luck on Ilos.  We’re preparing the fleets for whatever comes next._

_Hackett_

* * *

_From: Shepard_

_To: Hackett_

_Subj: re: Piracy._

_I know that…there are things that need to be said._

_Can we talk after this whole mess with Saren is over?_

_Alannah_

* * *

The message came back to haunt her several weeks later.  After the battle of the Citadel, after Saren was gone, after the cover-up had already started.

While she struggled to find the leak in her suit, the words that an old friend had once told her came back to haunt her.

_There’s never enough time for all the things that you wanted to say.  So say them when you have the chance._

The banging on his door startled Hackett out of his sleep.  He pulled on his clothes and headed over to seriously reprimand whoever the hell thought 0400 was a good time to wake an admiral up.  Captain Anderson stood on the other side.  Anderson shoved a report into his hand and then motioned for him to follow.

“What’s this?” Hackett didn’t bother to look at the report as he raced to catch up to the Captain.

“A list of survivors.” Anderson dodged around a pair of soldiers before continuing. “At 0100, we received a mayday from the _Normandy._  They were under attack from an unknown enemy.  We managed to get a cruiser there at 0200, but it was all over. The ship has been completely destroyed.  We did save all those that made it to the escape pods.”

Hackett stopped in the middle of the hallway, oblivious to those rushing around him and the fact that Anderson was still walking and talking. He glanced down at the list in his hand, scrolling through the names.

“She’s not on there.” Anderson had stepped back over to him. “Moreau’s damn near inconsolable.  The Commander shoved him into one of the pods, then another blast hit and knocked her out reach.  She managed to release his pod but…we haven’t found her body yet.”

_Body._

_Her body._

_Alannah was gone._

“We’re getting the survivors to the Med Bay. Aside from the Commander, there are twenty other missing crew members.  We believe that they went down with the ship.” Anderson paused for a moment. “Steven?”

He forced himself to snap out of it, grieving could come later. “You mentioned survivors?

Anderson nodded. “I’m heading back to speak with some of them now.”

“I’ll join you.”

It wasn’t until much later in the evening that he got a moment alone in his quarters.  He sat on his couch with a glass of scotch in his hand and stared at the bookshelf.  The wicked grin on her face when she’d tied him up flashed in his mind. _Brat._ He thought about the tattoo on her back and the feel of her under him.

_Alannah._

Hackett caught sight of something under the bookshelf.  With his glass in hand, he wandered over and crouched down to pick up one of the ties. It must have fallen underneath it the last time she’d been at his apartment. He clutched it in his hand. _What a damn waste._ He slammed the glass into the wall and watched it shatter. The fabric that he’d been holding drifted to the floor as he strode away.

_What a damn waste._

 

 


	12. Chapter 12

_We found the crash site, Sir._

Hackett hadn’t really wanted to believe the report when he received it.  Yet, as he stood in the debris field, he felt the same pain in his chest that he’d felt when Anderson had knocked on his door a few months ago.  He wandered around Alchera on his own.  He’d ordered the marines who came with him to stay on the shuttle.

The beautiful ship completely decimated. The galaxy map lay at his feet.  He recognized part of the rubble; it looked like remains of the Captain’s Quarters.   He crouched beside the desk that had been in the room.  He ran his gauntleted hand over the dent in it. Hackett couldn’t deal with the memories.  He could see her spread across the desk.   

He started back to the shuttle when his boot kicked something up from the rubble.  He knelt down to find something glittering in the light.  His fingers lifted up a slightly deformed chain.  His hand clenched around it tightly when he recognized the small lump at the end of the chain that had once been an intricate lock.

_Damn it, Alannah._

_Where the hell was her body?_

He trudged back into the shuttle with the necklace in his hand.

_Two years later…_

The rumors had started a few months ago, rumors that Commander Shepard hadn’t really died, that she’d been on some covert mission for the Council.  It was all bullshit.  But beneath the whispers, Hackett had heard that Cerberus had been working on a secret project entitled Lazarus. Anderson had managed to forward a few reports.

_He wouldn’t hope for the impossible._

_Not yet._

If it was Shepard, he knew that she’d head to the Citadel. She’d want to connect with Anderson to see where things stood between her and the Alliance. She wouldn’t risk Arcturus until she knew for certain. And she wouldn’t risk contacting Hackett until she felt on solid ground. So that’s where he waited, the Councilor let him know when she came to see him.  He waited for her by the airlock to her ship. 

_It was her._

_“Alannah.”_ He waited to see how she would react.

Shepard stopped just as she was about to step through the airlock.  She glanced around until she caught sight of him.  She walked over towards him, coming to a halt just out of reach. “Admiral Hackett. It’s…good to see you.”

“Are you missing something?” He held up the ruined necklace that he’d found on Alchera.

Her hand immediately went up to her throat. “It was on my desk with my dog tags.”

“Your scars are gone.” He brushed his knuckled against the side of her cheek.

“Skin grafts.” She seemed the most unsure that he could ever remember seeing her. “Can we…are you…I’d like to talk, but maybe somewhere a little more private?”

“I know just the place.” Hackett motioned her towards the nearby skycab terminal. 

Shepard remained silent the entire ride over to the apartment that he’d been using while he stayed on the Citadel.  He led her inside and watched her pace the room. 

“So skin grafts? All your scars and tattoo?” He broke the silence.

“Gone…well…I felt naked without the tattoo. So I got a new one on Omega.” She admitted.

“Can I see it?”

“You’re asking?” Alannah seemed even more confused.  She shook her head as if bemused before she turned around and lifted the back of her shirt. 

He’d expected to see a different tattoo, not the same damn one she’d gotten before she died. “It’s…”

“First you’re asking permission, and now you’re speechless. Are you really Admiral Hackett?”  She grinned at him over her shoulder.

_Brat._

_It was definitely Alannah._

He moved behind her before she could lower her shirt, his hand lightly glided up her spine before it touched the tattoo on her shoulder. “Are you _still_ mine?”

“Do you want me to be?” The hesitation in her voice twisted his gut a little.

“I do. You’ve always be mine.” He turned her around. “Is that understood?”

“Yes, sir, Admiral, sir.” She pressed her face into the front of his uniform.

 Her shoulders began to shake and for a moment, he thought that she was laughing. And then a sob that sounded like it was torn from her throat echoed in the apartment. Hackett placed his fingers on her chin and lifted her head to find her eyes filled with tears. His arms crushed her back against his chest.

“It’s like five minutes for me.  I can still remember began tossed out of bed when the first blast hit the _Normandy._ I can hear Joker’s voice screaming at me when I sealed his escape pod.  But mostly, all I can remember is all the things that I never got to say to you.  The…damn oxygen leaking out of my fucking suit…of all the ways to go, I don’t fucking recommend suffocating to death in space.” Her arms slid around his waist. “And then I wake up with fucking Cerberus. Which you have to admit, is a little ironic given Akuze.  I’m fighting for my life _with_ the enemy instead of against them. And all that I can think is what if Hackett’s found someone else? How damn pathetic am I? Have you? Cause I’ll shoot the bitch if you have.”

He couldn’t help but chuckle at that last bit. “I haven’t found anyone else.”

She glanced down when her omni-tool beeped. “I need to get back to the ship.”

Hackett waited until she was almost at the door. “Did I say you could leave?”

“You didn’t say that I couldn’t.” She grinned at him over her shoulder.

“Brat.”

* * *

Alannah felt incredibly awkward.  She’d had what could only be described as an emotional breakdown.  And now she stood staring at him not knowing what to do.  She’d been dead for the last two years, but it felt like she’d _just_ seen him a few weeks ago.  From the way that he’s been holding her earlier, it had _not_ felt like a month to him.

_Did he think she was a traitor?_

“I don’t…” She bit at her thumbnail while she tried to figure out what she wanted to say.  Hackett leaned against the back of the couch to wait.  “I’m pretty sure that I still have all the right parts.  Cerberus spared no expense in bringing me back, even made sure I got the whole birth control shot thing taken care of.”

_“Alannah.”_

“What? Don’t you care if I still have my parts?” She pulled her shirt out to look down at her chest. “They could’ve made them bigger.”

“Come over here, Alannah.” Hackett pointed to a spot on the floor just in front of him.

She moved _close_ to the spot, but just out of reach. “Truth or dare?”

“Truth.”

“Did you miss me?” She took a single step forward.

Hackett’s hand grabbed the hem of her shirt and yanked her against him. “Every damn day.”

“Oh good.” She hesitated briefly before lifting her hand.  Her fingers traced the familiar lines of his face.  “I need you…to touch me, please?  I need to feel like this is my damn body, and not some…jigsaw puzzle that Cerberus put back together.”

He seemed at a loss for words for a moment.  With his hand still tangled in the hem of her shirt, he dragged her into the bedroom.  He pulled the shirt over her head and motioned for her to kick her boots off and remove the rest of her clothes.

His thumb brushed against her lips and then pressed into her mouth.  She swirled her tongue around it for a second before he removed it and teased her nipple with his now wet finger. Her hand moved to touch him but he blocked the movement.

“No touching.” He pressed her hands against her sides. “I want to feel you, to breathe you in, and hear you.”

He walked her back against the bed and pushed her down on it.  She scooted back against the pillows and spread her legs when he swatted her inner thighs.  He slid between them and she ended up with her leg hooked over his shoulder. His tongue and fingers worked a frantic pace in her pussy that had her begging him for…more…for something.

His other hand seemed to be caressing every inch of her body.  His fingers teased her breasts.  He slid a third and then fourth finger inside of her.  It felt like her entire body was on fire, and she arched up off the bed against his tongue.  She writhed underneath him until she finally came.  His tongue licked her clean while she shuddered under his touch.

“That’s my girl. My beautiful girl.” He whispered against her. He moved up to press a kiss against her breast, then neck and finally her lips. “ _My_ Alannah.”

“Can I touch you now, please?” She asked after she’d recovered and they were side by side on the bed. 

“Yes,” Hackett chuckled at her.

Alannah shifted on to her side.  Her fingers mussing up his hair a little, before she slid them along his jawline, she loved the feeling of his beard against her fingertips.  She lifted up a little so that she could gently touch his lips.  She kissed, licked and touched every inch of his skin from his neck down to legs.  She moved up to take his cock into her mouth.  She savored the flavor of it. 

She wanted more…needed to feel more.  With her hands pressed on his chest, she swung her leg over him so that she was straddling him.  Her long black hair covered her face as she reached around to guide his cock into her pussy.  His hand came up to gather her hair up out of her eyes. 

His grasp was firm but not painful when he pulled her down.  He kissed her before twisting them around so he was hovering above her.   He took her hard and she clung to him.  Her legs wrapped around him as he fucked her.  He seemed to know exactly what she wanted.  He slammed his cock into her over and over.  Eventually, they were both spent and he collapsed next to her, his arm and leg still draped across her.

“Not yet,” he muttered when she started to get up.  His fingers tangled in her hair and dragged her into another kiss. “Not yet, girl. Let me hold you for a while longer.”

“Hold me?” She rested her hands on his chest so she could look him in the eyes.

He smoothed her hair back with his fingers. “The last two years have been incredibly lonely for me, girl. You left…an impression on me that I couldn’t shake.”

Alannah laid her head against his chest. “I was worried.”

“About?”

“If there was still…if I was still your _little brat._ ” She couldn’t figure out how to express the doubts that had been plaguing her.

“Always. You’ll always be mine.” He gripped her by the arms and pulled her up until she was straddling him again.  His hips lifted up and rammed his cock deep inside of her. “All mine.  Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir, Admiral, sir.”

It was another hour before she finally got up and dressed to leave.

“Alannah?”

She stopped by the door to glance back at him with a questioning glance. “Yes?”

“You do not pleasure yourself, touch yourself or have an orgasm until I see you next, unless I tell you to, understood?” Hackett’s eyes held a wicked gleam that was _not_ reassuring.

“Yes, sir, Admiral, sir.” She winked at him and headed out the door.

_How hard could it be?_

 


	13. Chapter 13

_He was trying to kill her._

_Hackett…was actually trying to kill her._

Alannah kicked the blanket off of her and shot out of bed with an annoyed sigh. She hadn’t seen him in a week, and he’d spent the entire week sending her very detailed, very graphic messages of what he planned to do to her the next time that he saw her.  _Very_. _Graphic._ And she wasn’t supposed to give in to the urge to engage in a little self-gratification.

_She needed to kill something…many things…repeatedly._

She told Joker to head for Purgatory.  They’d already done everything that they had to do on Omega.  She needed to pick up whoever Jack was and get on with the whole saving the world again. Her sexual frustration did not take precedence over saving the colonies from the Collectors.

_It was a close second._

Her omni-tool beeped while she waited for Joker to make the jump through the relay.

_Hackett._

_Again._

_Damn the bastard to hell._

The temptation to ignore him was strong; the desire to see what the hell he had to say was stronger.

* * *

_Inter-Relay Text Chat_

_Location: Arcturus_

_From: Hackett_

_To: Shepard_

_11:17 H: Do you know what I’m going to do to you when I see you again?_

_11:26 H: I’m waiting, Alannah_

_11:29 S: No, I don’t. But I’m sure you’re going to tell me all the fuck about it._

_11:31 H: Having trouble, girl?_

_11:32 S: Of course, not._

_11:33 H: Are you sure?_

_11:34 S: I have fifteen minutes before I have to get my armor on._

_11:35 H: Are you naked?_

_11:37 S: No, I’m not naked._

_11:38 H: You will be when I see you next.  Naked, and tied up, ready for me to touch. Is your pussy throbbing at the idea?_

_11:42 S: Wonderful._

_11:43 S: I have to go kill people now._

_11:45 User has disconnected._

* * *

_From: Hackett_

_To: Shepard_

_Subj: Purgatory_

_I understand that it’s now a burning wreckage drifting in space._

_Was it something I said?_

_Hackett_

* * *

_From: Shepard_

_To: Hackett_

_Subj: re: Purgatory_

_No._

_Warden Kuril decided that I was worth more as a prisoner._

_He was mistaken._

_Shepard_

* * *

_From: Alex_

_To: Cadence_

_Subj: Welcome back from the dead._

_I’ve got interesting security cam footage of you and a certain someone at the gym on Arcturus. I’d love to send it to ANN._

_Break up with him._

_Alex_

* * *

“Fucking asshole.” Shepard muttered to herself before stripping out of her armor and fatigues to head into the shower.

She slammed her fist into the shower wall and felt the bones in her fingers break. 

_Damn it._

It was just what she fucking needed.

Anything that added to her stress level right now was not going to work.  There were too many lives at stake.  She told Joker to head for the Citadel.  She went down to the Med Bay to have Chakwas set the bones in her hand.  She’d need a cast for a couple days.  Medi-gel apparently only did so much. Once on the Citadel, she pulled a favor from Councilor Anderson.  He got her a pair of Alliance fatigues and a transport to Arcturus. 

It was late in the evening when she finally arrived. She’d borrowed Joker’s old hat and kept it low over her brow while she wandered through the station.  Hackett answered his door still dressed in his uniform.  He’d already removed his shoes and the dress jacket was open at the collar.

“Alannah?”

She stepped past him into the living room.  She tossed the hat aside and paced the room anxiously. “I…”

He moved towards her.

“Stop.” She held up her hand and had to laugh when he froze mid-step. “No, I mean…stop…we need to talk.”

“Ok.” Hackett stepped over to the bar in the corner of the room to pour both of them a drink.  He handed one to her then grabbed her elbow to lead her over to the couch.

She sat at the far end of the couch from where he sat.  After a long moment, she shifted down until she was leaning against him with his arm wrapped around her. “My stress level is so high right now that Doctor Chakwas actually medically grounded me for three days or that could be because I broke my hand.  I need us to be a solution, a safe place for me…not another thing to worry about.”

Hackett sipped the scotch in his hand and didn’t say anything.

“I think we should…break it off until…” She surged up off the couch and paced the room.

“Alannah?”

She glanced back at him. “Yes?”

“What’s wrong?” He reached out to pull her back against him. “Is this about you not being able to touch yourself?”

“No, it’s not. Though that’s not fucking helping.” She glared at him. “You took away the only thing that alleviates the stress, so either I become a raging alcoholic or try red sand or beating the shit out of people.  Or you come up with another plan to exert unnecessary control.”

“Unnecessary?” He raised an eyebrow at her.

Alannah dropped back on the couch with a thud. “Tell me how to make this work. I love what we have.  But I’m not risking your career. I’m technically still dead so I don’t count.”

Hackett lifted her up and around so that she was sitting in his lap sidewise. “My career?”

“Someone has a vid of us in the gym.” She rested her head against his shoulder.

“That’s not possible.” He wrapped his arms around her tightly. He continued before she could argue with him.  “There are no cameras in that gym, and I had my eyes on the door the entire time.  Did you really think I’d risk exposing you like that?”

“The lying bastard.” Alannah was going to have a little talk with Alex.  Actually, she’d let Grunt and Zaeed have a little talk with him. “Sorry.”

“Let’s modify the order, shall we?  You can only orgasm when you ask for permission.  So when you need _stress_ release, send me a message to ask for it, girl.”

“Thank you.” She buried her face against his neck.  Her hands slid up inside his shirt. “Since I’m already here, do I need to send you a message?”

“Brat.” Hackett chuckled then leaned forward to set his glass on the table. “I think that you need another spanking.  We should’ve talked more in the beginning about what works for you and what doesn’t.  So…the punishment will be very light.”

_Damn._

“Does that mean I get to punish you too?” She grinned up at him.

_The answer to that question was no._

_Hell no._

It took ten minutes for Hackett to get her tied up to the bookshelf in an eerily similar position to how she’d tied him two years ago.  She had a feeling that it wasn’t a coincidence.  Punishment came before pleasure and the first five swats were definitely punishment. 

His hands immediately began to caress her when he’d finished.  He began to alternate light taps with his finger teasing her pussy.  He brought her close and then went back to the gentlest of touches, over and over until it seemed like the worst torture on the planet.  It finally dawned on her what he was waiting for.

“Please, sir, I need the release.” Her head fell forward.

“You’ll have to be a little more specific, Alannah, what is it that you need?” His body pressed against her as he spoke.

“Can I please cum?” There was no slack on the ties that held her and she couldn’t move closer to the hardness of his cock that was so tantalizingly close. “I need to feel you in me, _Admiral._ ”

“That’s my girl.” His hands rested on her hips as he drove into her.

His grip tightened on her hips almost to the point of painful while he slammed into her again and again.  He answered her repeated pleas with a yes and they came together.   When Hackett had regained his _composure_ , he removed the fabric holding her to the bookshelf and carried her over to the couch again.  This time though, she sat in his lap.  He grabbed a blanket to wrap around them both.

“Truth or dare, Alannah?” He asked.

“Neither.”

“Truth or dare?” His blue eyes twinkled as he waited for her answer.

_Bastard._

“Did you really plan to break up with me?” He asked.

“I…no.” She admitted with a grin. “I wanted a solution that wouldn’t risk your career.”

“I’m not just here for sex, Alannah.  If you need to talk, you can talk to me.” He touched a finger to her chin.

“I know. But I need to get back to the ship.  I’m not exactly _Alliance_ right now.” Shepard got up from his lap and began to get dressed. “I’ll be sure to tell the doc that I found a great method for relieving all the pressure I’m feeling.  Maybe she’ll even give me a prescription for it.”

“Who told you there was a vid of us?” Hackett asked.

“No one that you know.” Alannah decided that getting dressed more quickly was in order.  She didn’t even bother to tuck in her shirt.

Hackett leaned against the door blocking her exit. “Who?”

“Oh look at the time.” Alannah pushed him away and ducked out of the room.

“ _Brat.”_  


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bioware owns all sadly.

Alannah briefly wondered whether she was being pranked.  Her current _squad_ consisted of a thief, a bounty hunter, a crazy salarian, an even crazier biotic and a baby krogran, oh and Garrus who was a beacon of sanity in her insane world.  She didn’t count the Cerberus underlings as her squad. They were annoying spawns of satan.  Then she’d run into Ash on Horizon, her old drinking buddy hadn’t actually been all that thrilled to see her.

_‘I still know where my loyalties lie. I’m an Alliance soldier. It’s in my blood’_

* * *

_Inter-Relay Text Chat_

_Location: Arcturus_

_From: Hackett_

_To: Shepard_

_20:11 H: I received the encrypted information that you forwarded on Cerberus. Thanks._

_20:14 S:  Yeah._

_20:16 H: Anderson forwarded me the report on Horizon._

_20:18 S: Yeah._

_20:21 H: Is something wrong, Alannah?_

_20:23 S: Nope._

_20:24 H: I’ve never known you to restrict yourself to one word answers, ever._

_20:25 S: I shrugged, you can’t see it, but I did._

_20:26: H: What’s going on?_

_20:28 S: Nothing._

_20:29 H: If you think I believe that, you’ve lost your damn mind. What is going on?_

_20:31 S: It’s been a long day.  And I just realized…_

_20:33 H: Realized what?_

_20:45 H: Talk to me, Alannah. That’s not a request._

_20:50 S: I don’t have a home to go back to anymore._

_20:52 H: About that._

_20:58 S: What?_

_20:59 H: I bought your retirement home._

_21:10 S: You what?_

_21:13 H: I planned to tell you.  But…I wasn’t sure that you’d want Cerberus to have access to it._

_21:14 S: It always comes back to fucking Cerberus. God, I’m so fucking sick of hearing about it._

_21:16 H: I can transfer the lease to you any time. Meet me on Intai’sei._

_21:18 S: I think I’ll wait until I can ensure that I don’t say something that I’ll regret._

_21:19 H: To whom?_

_21:21 S: You._

_21:23 User has disconnected._

* * *

They were supposed to be heading to Illium, but Shepard decided to head for the Citadel first.  Kasumi wanted that damn greybox and it would be a short hop over to Bekenstein. She stopped by to speak with Anderson only to find that he wasn’t alone.

“Anderson,” She greeted the Councilor before turning towards the other person in the room. “Admiral Hackett.  What a _surprise._ ”

“Commander.” Hackett smiled at her but she didn’t return.

She handed a small container to Anderson. “These are the dog-tags that I found on Alchera.  I found all twenty of them.”

“Thank you.” Anderson frowned but took the package from her only to hand it over to Hackett.

“I need to get back.” She spun on her heel and started for the door without bothering to say anything further. She made it all the way out of the embassy and was getting into the elevator to head back to the dock when Hackett got in with her.

_Damn it._

“I have something for you.”

Alannah lifted her gaze from where she’d been pointedly staring at the floor to the hand that he was holding out. “I…”

“It’s the only piece of you that I had, and I admit to not wanting to part with it.  You’re not Alliance right now, so I can’t just order you to head for Arcturus when I miss you.” Hackett dropped the chain into her hand that held her melted dog tags.

Her fingers turned the tags over in her hand before finally tossing them back to him. “Keep them safe.  I’d rather not have them lost if this mission really does turn into a suicide mission.”

“Still angry with me?” Hackett stepped a little closer.

“I tried to stay pissed, but I keep picturing you naked and it made it so very difficult to focus on being annoyed.” She grinned at him when the elevator doors opened. “Have a good day, _Admiral_.”

Hackett’s hand shot out and dragged her back into the elevator.  The moment the doors closed, he shoved her up against the wall, his hand immediately moving around to grip her ass. “So you picture me naked, Alannah?”

“The elevator doors are about to open again.” Alannah laughed when he reluctantly let go of her. She darted out of the elevator to find herself on the 27th level of the Zakera Ward.  Hackett followed her into the Souvenir Shop. 

“Fish? Why the hell are you buying fish?” He raised an eyebrow at her.

“I killed the last ones.  It seems that you have to feed them occasionally.” Shepard headed out of the store. 

“You have a fish tank.” Hackett seemed to find this very strange.

“Yes,” she shrugged at him. “I have a fish tank.  I have a hamster too. Would you like to see my hamster?”

“Is that a euphemism?” He raised an eyebrow at her.

“No, no it’s not. I actually have a hamster.  It’s very cute, it squeaks.  The ship’s docked just through that door.” Alannah bit at her thumbnail while he thought about it.

He reached out to pull her hand away from her mouth. “I’ve got better things for you to put in your mouth.”

She smirked at him. “Really? Can I bite your nail?”

_“Alannah.”_

“So do you _not_ want to see my new quarters?” She caught the moment that the look in his eyes changed. “Please, _Admiral_?”

“Let’s see what you have to show me.” Hackett followed her towards the docking bay.

“Oh, I think I can find something to keep your interest.” She smirked over her shoulder at him while they waited for the airlock to open. 

Once they’d gotten up to her quarters, Hackett ordered her to remove her clothing and his before tossing her back on the bed.  He kneeled beside her head, one hand tangling in her hair to guide her towards him while his other hand glided down between her legs. 

He created a rhythm between moving her head on his cock and thrusting his fingers into her pussy.  He teased her by pulling his fingers all the way out and then slowly pushing them back in.  If she shifted her hips up, he swatted her thigh until she stopped.  As he got closer, he told her to beg for it…and she did. 

_Repeatedly._

“See, there’s my fish.” She pointed towards the aquarium later when she was cuddled in his arms recovering. “I stopped naming them because they keep dying.”

Hackett shifted on his side and lifted her chin up with his finger. “Truth or dare, Alannah?”

“Dare.”

“Truth,” he corrected.

“Why do you bother with the pretense?” She grinned when he flicked her breast lightly as admonishment that she chose to ignore completely. “So, what great revelation would you like to hear now?”

“What were you afraid that you were going to say the other day?” He didn’t let her turn away from him, his fingers tightly holding her chin.

 _Fucker_.

“Say? Not much. Do? Something drastic.” Alannah tried to keep her face straight. “I did contemplate the idea of spanking you.  It was…amusing.”

“Brat.”


	15. Chapter 15

_Request denied._

Those two words kept flowing through her mind ever since she saw the email exchange among the Shadow Broker’s dossiers.  It had been Hackett’s response to a request to bring Shepard in for questioning. Internal Naval Affairs didn’t ask nicely when they wanted information.  She knew exactly what would happen if he’d agreed to rescind his order. She’d be tossed in the fucking brig.

_Request denied._

It also told her that she couldn’t afford to sneak into Arcturus again.

_Damn._

She thought about the retirement home on Intai-sei. That would work. Since they’d finished on Illium, Shepard had plotted a course for Haestrom.  Tali sounded like she needed help.  It would be another hour or so before they arrived.

* * *

_Inter-Relay Text Chat_

_Location: Withheld_

_From: Shepard_

_To: Hackett_

_13:14 S: Thanks for telling I.N.A. to shove it._

_13:19 H: Have you been reading my emails?_

_13:21 S: Well, yes…and no. Just the one technically._

_13:22 S: It’s a little complicated to explain._

_13:23 H: Why don’t you give it a try anyway? I’m sure I can keep up_

_13:24 S: I have a new friend who happens to be the Shadow Broker._

_13:25 S: You’d be amazed at what little tidbits of information that I’ve discovered stored amongst the broker’s files.  And the vids, I’ll never look at Udina the same again._

_13:26 H: How the hell did you become acquainted with the Shadow Broker?_

_13:28 S: I helped kill the previous one._

_13:29 H: You killed the Shadow Broker?_

_13:31 S: Yes.  And then helped a new one take over._

_13:32 H: Any other files of interest?_

_13:34 S: Tons._

_13:36 H: And?_

_13:38 S: They aren’t my secrets to tell._

_13:39 H: Alannah._

_13:42 S: What? I’m not going to divulge all the dirty secrets that I found.  I might need it for blackmail at some point._

_13:45 H: Alliance officers do not use extortion._

_13:46 S: Didn’t you hear? I’m not an Alliance officer any more._

_13:47 H: That is a temporary setback._

_13:49 S: You keep telling yourself that, Admiral._

_13:50 H: Careful, Alannah._

_13:51 S: Aren’t you technically disobeying your own orders for no Alliance contact with me? Are you being a naughty Admiral?_

_13:53 H: Alannah._

_13:54 S: Am I wrong?_

_14:02 S: You can’t answer that truthfully, can you?_

_14:03 H: I am constantly amazed that you’ve never been reprimanded for insubordination._

_14:04 S: How is the truth insubordination? I am being completely compliant with the truth._

_14:06 H: Right._

_14:07 S: I have to go get sunburnt now.  Have a good afternoon._

_14:08 User has disconnected._

* * *

Haestrom went well with the exception of the heat and the geth and a lot of dead quarians.  They managed to save Tali at least.  It would be good to have her on the ship.  Joker was right when he said that the _Normandy_ ran better with her in engineering.

The Illusive Man wanted them to check out a disabled collector vessel.  It turned out to be a trap.  The bastard led them right into a trap.  Just like he’d led the collectors to Horizon using Williams and Shepard as bait, she was sick and tired of the bullshit tactics.  Cerberus played dirty and they didn’t seem to care about collateral damage.  It went against everything that Shepard believed in. 

_Goddamn son-of-a-bitch terrorist bastards._

_And technically, she was one of them._

_Fuck._

The _Normandy_ made the jump to the Citadel.  Shepard made her way up to the Embassy to talk with Anderson.  The Councilor had always offered sound advice to her.  She had the misfortune of stepping out of the elevator into the lobby and right into Alex.

_Of all the fucked up luck._

“Cadence? Are they letting traitors just go anywhere these days?” He frowned at her.

“Great to see you too.” She needed to keep her temper.

“What _are_ you doing here?”

Instead of answering, Shepard backed up into the elevator and hit a random button.  The doors closed in his face and she breathed a sigh of relief.  She found herself in Flux having a drink.   She’d been tempted to head to the lounge but that fucking reporter was there again.

“Buy me a drink, Shepard?” Massani leaned against the bar beside her.

“Buy yourself one; I know Cerberus paid you a rather large chunk of credits.” She ignored the smirk on his face. 

“You shouldn’t drink alone.” He moved a little closer.

“She isn’t.” Hackett stepped between them.

“Good to know.” Zaeed raised his hands up and with a wink headed away.

“How’s the sunburn?” Hackett turned around to face her.

“I am not going to lie, that was sexy as hell.” She ignored his question. “What are you doing on the Citadel?”

“Truth or dare?” He grabbed her drink and took a sip.

“Dare.” Alannah needed something to shake off the stress and anger.

“Go for a ride with me?”

“A ride?” She frowned but finished her drink and followed him out of Flux. 

It wasn’t until they were both in the skycab and he was driving that the actual dare come into play.  He reached down to unzip his pants and pull himself out.  His fingers tangled into her hair and pulled her head down into his lap and onto his cock.

“If we crash like this, you’re going to have a hell of a lot of explaining to do.” Alannah grinned when he tugged on her hair a little harder.

“Touch yourself, girl, and don’t you dare climax before I do.” His voice switched to the tone that made her insides melt just a little bit.

She loosened her cargo pants enough that she could slide a hand into the top of her underwear.  It took a moment to get in a comfortable position where she could thrust her fingers into herself and still move her mouth up and down on his cock.  His fingers tightened their grasp in her hair and he pressed her down until she was deep throating him.  He pulled her all the way up then back down again.

She had no fucking clue how he didn’t drive them straight into an oncoming vehicle while they made _laps_ around the Citadel.  He shoved her down one last time while ordering her to cum.  She had to swallow quickly as he joined her a moment later.  He landed safe and sound once they’d straightened their clothing back out. She stepped out of the skycar to find herself in a completely different part of the Citadel than they’d started in.

“Did you get lost?” She glanced back at Hackett.

“I’m taking you out for dinner.” He grabbed her by the hand and led her into a nearby building. “Well, I’m taking you _in_ for dinner.”

“Will there be any actual eating?” Alannah winked up at him.

“Yes, _Alannah_.” Hackett shook his head. “I thought for once we’d talk and have a meal together.”

Alannah decided to nap on his couch while he did whatever the hell it was that he was doing.  She hadn’t meant to actually doze off, just rest her eyes.  She had no idea how much time had passed when she felt someone shaking her awake.  It took a moment before she finally got her eyes opened to find Hackett crouched in front of her with a hand on her shoulder.

“Are you getting enough sleep, girl?” He looked at her with concern in his eyes.

“Oh tons.” She twisted her head to face him.

“Tell me the truth.” Hackett pushed the hair out of her face.

“I just want to be fucking done with Cerberus.” She swung herself up into a seated position.

“You will be.” He moved up to sit next to her. “Are you ready for dinner?”

What Alannah really wanted was to be naked in a bed in his arms asleep.  The nap had not been long enough.  She was hardly sleeping on the ship.  She was either on missions or scanning planets or dealing with fucking Cerberus.  Sleep. Sleep was good, better next to someone that she trusted.  She didn’t want to admit that to Hackett though.

“Sure. Let’s eat.” She took a deep breath and then grinned up at him.

“What do you _want_ , girl?” Hackett gripped her chin to tilt her head up a little.

“Sleep,” she admitted.

“Sleep? Just sleep?”

“In your arms.” Alannah found herself being dragged by the arm into the bedroom. 

Hackett stripped her slowly down to her underwear and pushed her towards the bed.  He lay down next to her and pulled the blanket over them both.  Alannah resisted for a moment before she snuggled up against him.  She pressed her head to his chest so she could listen to his heartbeat.  His hand came up to stroke her hair.

“My girl,” he murmured.  “All mine.”


	16. Chapter 16

_Why was it always Thresher Maws?_

_Why?_

Wrex had offered up a few bottles of ryncol that she turned down. The last time that she’d drunk ryncol with Wrex, it had not gone very well.  She also turned down the breeding request that had come in once they’d completed Grunt’s puberty thing.  Trust the fucking Krogan to come up with a bizarre ritual for becoming an adult.  They couldn’t grow hair in annoying places and have their voice crack. No, they had to shoot lots of things and dodge giant worms that spit acid.

* * *

_From: Shepard_

_To: Hackett_

_Subj: Did you know…_

_…that Thresher Maw acid hasn’t changed a bit since I was on Akuze?_

_In potentially related news, Wrex is still clinically insane._

_I might adopt him except I already have a baby Krogan on my squad. He’s less baby and more giant creature that breaks shit._

_Alannah_

 

* * *

_From: Hackett_

_To: Shepard_

_Subj: re: Thresher Maws_

_Are you ok?_

_Hackett_

 

* * *

_From: Shepard_

_To: Hackett_

_Subj: re: Thresher Maws_

_Great._

_I even got an invitation to breed with a Krogan._

_My day has been…spectacular._

_Alannah_

 

* * *

_From: Hackett_

_To: Shepard_

_Subj: re: Thresher Maws_

_That sounds very convincing._

_Did you say breeding?_

_Hackett_

 

* * *

_From: Shepard_

_To: Hackett_

_Subj: re: Thresher Maws_

_Yes._

_It was apparently impressive that I killed the Thresher Maw on foot with just the baby Krogan and Garrus in my squad._

_Mostly?_

_I ducked behind a wall and fired rockets at it._

_Stupid things._

_Alannah_

 

* * *

_Inter-Relay Text Chat_

_Location: Arcturus_

_From: Hackett_

_To: Shepard_

_12:11 H: On foot? You faced a Thresher Maw on foot, again? Why?_

_12:13 S: It was the lesser over two evils._

_12:14 H: And the greater evil?_

_12:16 S: Dying?_

_12:18 H: What are you wearing?_

_12:21 S: Fatigues._

_12:22 S: And before you get any ideas, I’m about to head down to Aite.  Some kind of emergency at a Cerberus facility._

_12:23 User has disconnected._

 

* * *

“Shepard? I don’t think we should kill the doctor.” Garrus placed a hand on her shoulder. 

Once the virtual world had disappeared, Garrus and Thane had been freed and rushed out to find her.  They found Alannah with her pistol pointed at Gavin Archer’s head.  _Fucking bastard._   That he could do this to his own brother.  _Fuck it._   _And fuck the Illusive Man._ She pulled the trigger…and shot the bastard in the head. 

“Get David down. We’ll take him to Grissom Academy.  Maybe they can help repair the damage that Cerberus and his fucking brother did to him.” Shepard left the two to release David.  She didn’t want to think about the fact that she’d taken a life unnecessarily. 

The _Normandy_ had to wait around for a couple of hours until the Alliance could send a ship out to meet up with them to take David Archer.  Shepard had wanted to fly him directly to Grissom Academy, but a Cerberus vessel wasn’t welcomed to dock at the school.  As if it was a sick cosmic joke, it was fucking _Alex’s ship_ that met with them. 

She let Doctor Chakwas and Mordin handle transferring the young man to the Alliance ship in the hopes of avoiding Alex completely.  _Captain Webb_ didn’t deign to meet with her in any case.  She breathed a sigh of relief when the ships headed in separate directions. 

“Captain Webb asked me to give this to you.” Chakwas handed her a small container.

Alannah took it up to her quarters to open.  It contained the engagement ring that he’d given to her shortly before they broke up. 

_Fucking asshole._

She stole a bottle of booze from the lounge and sat on her couch drinking.  The Illusive Man had expressed his dismay that David had been handed over to the Alliance and Doctor Archer’s death. Alannah had expressed her desire for him to go experiment with self-immolation.The conversation had gone well in her opinion.

* * *

_Inter-Relay Text Chat_

_Location: Arcturus_

_From: Hackett_

_To: Shepard_

_23:14 H: David Archer arrived safely at Grissom Academy._

_23:24 S: Good._

_23:27 H: How exactly did you find him? He looks like he’s been through hell._

_23:28 S: He has._

_23:30 H: I know Cerberus was involved but the report that we received was lacking a lot of details._

_23:32 S: That’s because I wrote it and I left them out._

_23:34 H: Care to fill in the blanks a little?_

_23:35 S: Is that an order?_

_23:36 H: Does it need to be?_

_23:48 H: I won’t order you to confide in me. But you can, I’m here for you, Alannah._

_23:52 S: I’m confiding to a bottle of scotch.  It’s poetic…and pathetic._

_24:02 S: David Archer was tortured…turned into a goddamn human VI…by his own fucking brother. How messed up is that? All in the name of research for Cerberus.  Bastards._

_24:03 H: Brother?_

_24:04 S: Doctor Gavin Archer.  I mentioned him briefly in my report._

_24:08 H: He should be arrested._

_24:18 H: Alannah?_

_24:25 S:_ _I didn’t think you could arrest a corpse._

 _24:26 S:_ _There are words that I’m trying to say…well type…but…I can’t_

_24:28 S: I’m heading to Intai’sei._

_24:29 H: Why?_

_24:31 S: Because I can’t just order Joker to head for Arcturus._

_24:32 H: Something you need on Arcturus,_ _girl_ _?_

_24:34 S: You._

_24:35 H: I can be on the Citadel tomorrow at 1800. It’s an easier jump than Intai-sei.  Meet me at my apartment._

_24:36 S: I might be a little late but I’ll be there._

_24:37 User has disconnected._

 

* * *

It was 2100 when she finally trudged up to Hackett’s apartment in the Alliance quarters on the Citadel.   She’d taken care of Jack’s mission on Pragia, and then headed to the Citadel to help Garrus and Thane.  Stopping Thane’s son had been a relatively easy thing to do, but Garrus had required a little more work.  The last two Ymir mechs had imploded which sent both her and Thane flying into a nearby crate.   Neither of them was injured, just a little…stiff and bruised.

“I know that I’m late, but in my defense, I had two mechs explode in my face.” She muttered when his front door slid open.

“Do I want to know?”

“No.” Alannah wandered into his apartment.  She unbuckled her armor and tossed it on his couch.   She wandered into his kitchen to raid his fridge. “Cake.”

“Cake?” Hackett queried.

“There’s cake. Chocolate cake.” She held up the evidence of her find.  “Cake.”

Hackett took the plate from her and set it on the counter.  He lifted her up on the counter and then grabbed a fork from a drawer.  “Truth or dare?”

“Cake.”

He tapped her on the chin with the fork “Truth or dare?”

She glared at him.  “I will truthfully murder you with that fork if you don’t hand over the cake.”

_“Alannah.”_

“Truth.” Shepard looked longingly at the cake.

“What happened to Gavin Archer?” He fed her a little taste of the cake.

“How am I supposed to answer and eat?” She muttered around the cake in her mouth.  She savored the cake and then finally answered his question. “I shot him in the head.”

Hackett fed her another bite. “Truth or dare?”

“Isn’t it your turn?” Alannah tried to grab the fork but he held it up over her head. “Why don’t you just ask the questions that you want me to answer?”

“Why did you shoot him?” Hackett waited patiently for an answer.

She clenched her jaw tightly for a moment and turned from the blue eyes that kept trying to pierce into her soul. “He didn’t deserve to live.”

“Why?” Hackett set the fork down and rested his hands on top of her thighs.

She kept her focus on the hands on her legs. “ _Admiral._ ”

Hackett moved one hand up to lift her chin so she had to make eye contact. “Why?”

“I believe that I told you that I destroy the bad people in the world.” Her eyes hardened as her jaw clenched to the point of pain. “I destroy them.  Gavin Archer all but killed his brother.  He might never recover. He didn’t deserve to live. He wasn’t leaving that room alive.”

Hackett shifted his fingers to gently massage the taut muscles of her face. “Easy, girl, easy.”

“Truth or dare?” She looked up at him.

“Truth.”

“Am I one of the _bad_ people?” Alannah had let him strip away some of her mental armor and the question was out before she could stop it.

“No.” He cupped her face with his hands. “Truth or dare?”

“Dare.”

“Truth,” he countered

Alannah took a deep breath. “Dare.”

 “How badly do you want cake?” He raised an eyebrow at her.

Alannah’s eyes narrowed on him for a moment. She reached a finger out to run it through the frosting then with her free hand grabbed his collar and pulled him between her legs.  She smeared the frosting across his lips then licked it off of him.   She grabbed the fork from his hand and the plate from the counter before hopping down and ducking under his arm. 

“Never joke about cake.” She grinned at him over her shoulder before focusing on the cake. 

Hackett stepped up behind her and grabbed her by the hips, yanking her against his body.  “Truth or dare, Alannah?”

“Truth.” She tried to ignore the beard rubbing against her neck.

“Are you falling in love?” His lips touched her neck as he spoke.

“With cake? Definitely.” She laughed when his teeth nipped at her. “Lust? Yes. Like? Yes. Love? Depends on if you let me finish the cake.”

 _“Brat.”_ He chuckled.  “Is that the only answer you’re going to give me?”

“For now.” She took another bite of cake. “Truth or dare?”

“Dare.”

Alannah took one last bite for setting the plate down.  She turned in his arms.  “Dare? That’s a brave choice, considering the last time, _Admiral_.”

Hackett shrugged in response.

“I don’t have a dare,” she admitted after a moment. “I do have a need.”

“For cake?”

“Always. But also, for you.” Alannah slid her arms around him and rested her head against his chest. “It’s not been the best week.”

Hackett’s hands wandered from her hips down to her ass. “What is it you need, girl? Ask for it.”

“You. I need your hands on me, and you in me.” She leaned back so she could look up into his eyes. “I find myself needing you, _Admiral.”_

“Need?” His lips descended on her neck to lick and nibble.  He slipped his fingers inside her trousers to squeeze her ass before dipping them in to tease her.  “Where do you need me?  I _need_ you to be more specific, girl.”

“I…” Alannah practically swallowed her tongue when she felt his finger start to press against her. _Fuck._ She licked her lips and tried to think of what the damn question had been.

“Having trouble?” He chuckled darkly as he pressed his finger all the way into her tight ass. “Oh, I think I’m going to enjoy this.”

Before Alannah could get a coherent though out, her omni-tool buzzed with an emergency hail from the ship.  She grinned wickedly when she had to pull his hand out of her pants and she backed out of the room.  She heard his muttered curse of annoyance and found herself still grinning as she stepped back on the ship.

 


	17. Chapter 17

_Inter-Relay Text Chat_

_Location: Bekenstein_

_From: Shepard_

_To: Hackett_

_13:17 S: Are you still on the Citadel?_

_13:19 H: I am._

_13:22 S: Are you free for dinner?  Doctor Chakwas and I are having dinner with Anderson on the Presidium at 1800. It’ll be …fun._

_13:27 H: What are you up to, Alannah?_

_13:29 S: No idea what you’re talking about.  Is that a yes?_

_13:31 H: It’s a reluctant yes._

_13:33 S: See you there.  I have to go crash a party and break into a vault._

_13:34 User has disconnected._

* * *

Hackett stood outside the restaurant waiting for Alannah. He knew Anderson was already inside, but he was highly suspicious of what _his girl_ had planned. He knew she was up to something.  She was almost always up to something.  It was part of what he loved about her.

_His beautiful little brat._

He felt a hand glide across his back and turned to find her. " _Commander_."

 _"Admiral."_ Her blue eyes twinkled up at him.

_Definitely up to something._

"Shall we?" He motioned towards the restaurant, but stopped when her hand rested on his arm. "Yes?"

"You _owe_ me a dare," Alannah reminded him.

"And?" He felt a growing sense of apprehension.

"Whatever happens, you can't show it on your face." She started into the restaurant. “Not on your face or in your voice.”

Hackett grabbed her by the arm to stop her forward movement. "What are you planning, _Alannah_?"

"You'll see."

He signed with a mixture of amusement and frustration.  He followed her into the restaurant to find the table where their dinner companions were already seated.  Shepard ended up sitting next to him at the table with Anderson and Doctor Chakwas on the opposite side.

The meal started without incident.  Food and wine was ordered.  They were half-way through the appetizers when he felt a hand on his knee.  The tablecloth covered his lap completely but he caught the slight smirk on Alannah’s face out of the corner of his eye.  While the damn _brat_ talked to the human Councilor about the recent changes in the Spectres, her hand trailed up his thigh to his cock.  She didn’t miss a beat as she slowly lowered his zipper to ease her fingers inside his dress pants.

“Admiral?”

He glanced up to find Chakwas giving him a strange look. “Sorry, Karin, I missed your question.”

“How will the Alliance respond when we’re finally finished with Cerberus?” She repeated her question.

“The Admiralty’s official opinion is to cross that bridge when we come to it.” Hackett refused to let himself be distracted by Alannah.

“But?” Shepard turned innocent eyes towards him while she continued to stroke his hardening cock through his boxers.

“Unofficially?” He paused to take a sip of wine.  “If your mission against the Collectors is successful, which I have no doubts it will be, I don’t see there being too many obstacles standing in your way if you wanted to go back to wearing Alliance colors.”

“Bringing the _Normandy_ will probably help.” Alannah laughed before turning towards Anderson but Hackett felt her hand start to move _inside_ his boxers.

He took a quick drink of scotch when her fingers finally brushed against his cock without the boxers in the way.  She took his pre-cum and smeared it into his skin.  He reminded himself that breathing and conversing was a necessary part of a dinner party.  The stroking of his cock made the entire process ten times more difficult.

The conversations around the table shifted from topic to topic.  Hackett barely managed to keep up as Alannah’s fingers continued to tease him relentlessly. She ran her fingertips over the head of his cock in slow circles.  He worried briefly at a couple points that he was about to have a difficult to explain mess in his trousers.  But she’d stop for a while to grip the base of his cock between her fingers and then begin all over again. 

_She was going to pay dearly for the exquisite torture later._

She used her fingernails to tease the sensitive underside of his cock.  And then she started the infernal stroking again.  Her movements were methodical and while she never wavered in her conversation, he caught the gleam in her eyes. She made another slow circle around him before she started using her nails once again.

At one point, he placed his hand over hers to stop the movements and she squeezed _him_ in a rather tender place until he removed it.  _Brat._   The meal felt like it took a damn century. He didn’t remember taking a bite but his plate appeared to be empty.  The fingers were all he could remember.

When dessert arrived, Alannah had opted for chocolate cake… _of course._ She removed her hand mid-dessert, quietly zipping his pants up and leaving him with a rather evident bulge.  He wasn’t sure if he felt relieved or disappointed.  It had thankfully gone down by the time they were ready to leave.   The Commander and Doctor said their goodbyes and started to walk away.  Hackett had _no_ intention of letting her get away.  He spoke briefly with Anderson then left to catch up with them.

“ _Admiral_?” Shepard looked up when he stopped them before they could get into the elevator.

“A moment of your time, _Commander?”_ He was _not_ going to take no for an answer.

“I’ll see you on the _Normandy,_ Doc.” She stepped towards him. “Something wrong?”

Hackett grabbed her by the crook of her elbow and guided her towards the skycab terminal. “Did you _enjoy_ yourself this evening?”

“I did.  The cake was especially tasty,” she smiled.

“I’m going to have to learn to be more cautious when I choose a dare over the truth.” Hackett shook his head ruefully.

“You performed… _admirably.”_ Alannah glanced down at the skycar.  “Are we going somewhere?”

“My apartment.” He waited for her to get inside then frowned at her when she didn’t move.

“I can’t.  We’re heading to the Perseus Veil.” She took a step back. “One of my crew, Tali, she’s being accused of treason and I need to go talk some sense into the idiots.”

“And it can’t wait an hour or two?” He raised an eyebrow at her.

“I already delayed the trip by a day to head to Bekenstein and have dinner tonight. She’s a friend, and I need to do this for her.  So no, it can’t wait.” She gave him an apologetic smile before starting back towards the elevator.

He decided to follow her inside. Citadel elevators were always infuriatingly slow but that would work to his advantage this time.  Once the doors closed, he pressed Alannah up against the wall. His knee moved between her legs, separating them, while his hand cupped her breast and his thumb skimmed across her hardening nipple.  He had to work fast; even slow elevators eventually arrived at their destination.  His other hand moved to her ass to _help_ her glide along his thigh.

He held her hips tightly and shoved her up and then down his leg. “Wouldn’t you love for that to be my cock right now? Hmm, girl?  It’s still hard from all your damn teasing.”

Shepard leaned back against the wall breathless when he finally stepped back just seconds before the doors opened. “Well played, sir.”

“Good luck with the quarians, _Alannah._ ” He placed a hand on her back to nudge her out of the elevator then hit the button to head back up. He needed a cold shower, several very cold showers.


	18. Chapter 18

_From: Hackett_

_To: Shepard_

_Subj: Quarians._

_Are you finished in the Vallhallan Threshold?_

_Hackett_

* * *

_From: Shepard_

_To: Hackett_

_Subj: re: Quarians_

_Yes._

_I employed my favorite tactic…yelling._

_It turns out it works on stubborn quarian bastards._

_I’m on my way to The Sea of Storms.  We picked up tech from a derelict reaper, and also found a friendly geth who has parts of my armor.  The friendly geth needs a favor._

_Weird even for me, I know._

_Alannah_

* * *

_From: Hackett_

_To: Shepard_

_Subj: re: Quarians_

_The Sea of Storms?_

_Why there?_

_Hackett_

* * *

It was a day before Alannah finally got around to thinking about replying to Hackett’s last message. The _heretic_ geth had been brought back into the regular geth fold.  They had gotten back to the _Normandy_ to find _her crew_ gone. Since the jump to the Omega-4 Relay would take at least another hour, she decide it was time to say the things that she’d regret if she didn’t make it back.

* * *

_Inter-Relay Text Chat_

_Location: Sahrabarik_

_From: Shepard_

_To: Hackett_

_19:18 S: My crew was taken by the collectors._

_19:23 H: Damn._

_19:25 S: We’re about to make the jump through the Omega-4 Relay._

_19:26 H: Are you…_

_19:28 S: They took everyone, except Joker and the squad I had with me, even the Doc.  I won’t leave them to…I’ll bring them back, or die._

_19:30 H: You return safely, girl. That’s an order._

_19:33 S: Yes, Sir, Admiral, sir._

_19:34 H: Do you have time to stop by Arcturus?_

_19:36 S: No.  We’re literally making the jump in thirty minutes or so._

_19:38 S: Truth or Dare?_

_19:40 H: Alannah._

_19:41 S: Pick, damn it._

_19:42 H: Dare, but only when you come back safely._

_19:44 S: Brave decision, Admiral._

_19:46 H: What are you thinking about right now?_

_19:52 S: Dying._

_19:53 S: Thinking about all the things that I didn’t get to say the last time that I died._

_19:55 H: Like what?_

_20:07 H: Alannah?_

_20:09 S: I love you, Admiral, sir._

_20:10 S: We’re heading through the relay. I need to get down to the CIC._

_20:11 H: I love you, girl. Come back safe._

_20:12 User has disconnected._

* * *

_From: Shepard_

_To: Hackett_

_Subj: Omega-4 Relay_

_We made it back._

_Barely._

_We’re limping our way to the Citadel for repairs._

_You owe me a dare._

_Alannah_

* * *

Shepard sat in her quarters staring at the information that they’d managed to gather from the Collector Base on the Reapers.  The _Normandy_ had docked at the Citadel a couple of hours ago and she’d told the crew to take shore-leave.  They deserved a break.   She hadn’t heard anything from Hackett, so she figured working was a good use of her time.  She’d taken a shower first and now reclined on the couch in a tank top and cargo pants.

_They’d managed to save everyone._

_Everyone._

_And destroyed the Collectors._

_And fucked over the Illusive Man._

“Commander?” You have a visitor.” EDI broke into her thoughts.  A few minutes later the door opened to allow Hackett to walk in.

“You owe me a dare.” Alannah tossed the datapad in her hand on to the coffee table.

“Later.”

“Now.” She leaned back against the couch with her arms crossed in front of her and her bare feet propped up on the coffee table.

Hackett moved towards her. “I said, later, _girl_.”

“You’re just delaying the inevitable pain.” She laughed when he pulled her up off the couch into his arms. “I have a good dare too.”

He breathed an annoyed sigh against her neck. “Fine, let’s have it.”

“Get naked then.” She wandered over to grab a small bag. “Naked. You. Now.”

His eyes narrowed but he carefully removed his dress uniform and laid it across the back of a chair.  “What’s the dare, Alannah?”

She reached into the bag to pull out a pair of cuffs. “An hour.”

“Didn’t we do that once already?” Hackett stared at the cuffs dangling from her finger.

“Yes, but I didn’t get to do everything that I wanted to do.  You did pick dare.” She waited to see how he’d respond.

“So I did.” He breathed yet another deep sigh.

“On the bed.” She followed him over and made short work of securing his wrists and ankles.  She pulled a blindfold out of the bag and fastened it around his head. “Shit, I forgot something. Be right back.”

“Alannah, do _not_ leave me _naked_ on your bed.” Hackett’s voice dropped to a low growl.

Shepard just laughed while trailing her fingers across his abdomen over his cock and then headed quickly down to the mess to retrieve a small cup of ice.  She set the glass aside for the moment and pulled out a feather that she’d picked up on Illium.  There were a lot of _fascinating_ things for sale on Illium.  She ran it along the inside of his leg where he was ticklish.  He jumped at the touch.  It was impossible to resist the urge to tickle him a little more.

“ _Brat._ ”

Alannah moved on the bed beside him. She brushed the feather a little higher up on his thigh. “I could do this for the entire hour.”

She teased him for a little longer before tossing the feather aside as she watched him writhe on the bed.  Finally, she reached back to grab a small piece of ice to drag it along his neck and across his chest.  He inhaled sharply when she dragged it across his abdomen.  She ran it over the head of his cock and down the shaft.

 Kneeling between his legs, she took the half melted piece of ice in her mouth and then with an agonizingly slow pace eased his cock into her mouth. She used her tongue to swirl the ice around.  She stopped when she could tell he was getting too close.  She tickled him with the feather for a few minutes, before resuming the blowjob.  The ice eventually melted completely and she sat back up.  Her fingers trailed along his thighs while she considered her options.

After a moment, Alannah moved up so she was hovering over cock.  She eased down until his tip just nudged against her pussy.  He tried to rise up off the bed to push further in but she lifted up out of reach.  She had to bite back a laugh when she heard his muttered curse. She repeating the movement several times, before she sank down on him and paused to enjoy the full feeling. 

She leaned up off him until he was almost out of her.  It put her close enough that she could press her lips to his ear. “I didn’t die this time, almost but not quite.  I had to come back.”

“And why is that girl?”

She reached down to pull off the blindfold so that she could look him in the eyes. “I had orders, _Admiral._ ”

She’d fully intended to draw the torture out but he felt too damn good.  He felt too damn good, and she wanted him to be an active participant. She needed him to be an active participant.  She’d come a lot closer to dying again. Leaning forward again, she uncuffed his arms and then reached back to remove the cuffs on his ankles. 

“Alannah?” He hesitated for a moment with his hands resting behind his head. “I never renege on a dare.”

“Good, now shut up.” She wrapped her arms around him and rolled over taking him with her.

Hackett frowned down at her but took the hint when she wrapped her legs around him and bucked her hips up against him. His hands took her wrists and raised them over her head where he held them with one hand.  His mouth dropped down to hers while he slammed his cock into her pussy in one smooth thrust.  His free hand flicked first one nipple then the other.  He slammed into her repeatedly until they were both close to exploding. 

“No stopping,” she muttered in annoyance when he pulled out of her.  She needed this to remember that she hadn’t fallen on the collector base.  “Please, _Admiral,_ don’t stop.”

“I was so damn worried about you, girl.” Hackett flipped her over on her stomach and dragged her back until she was kneeling on the edge of the bed.  “I had to sit and wait.  I don’t _enjoy_ that.”

He stood up and slammed into her pussy from behind.  His fingers twisted in her hair and pulled her head back.  His other hand began swatting her thighs and ass.  He alternated the strength of each one while he continued to thrust his cock into her until they came together. 

Moments later, after they’d recovered and cleaned up, Hackett pulled her down on the bed under the covers.  He lay on his side and she curled up facing him.  She leaned her head against his chest while his arms gathered her closer to him.

“You said almost.” He remarked after they’d lain in silence for a while with his head resting on top hers. “You almost didn’t make it?”

“We had to make a flying leap of sorts to get back on the ship.  Leaping is apparently not a skill of mine.  Garrus had to pull me up before I fell.” She felt his arms tense around her.

“I do love you, girl.” He whispered into her hair.

“That’s good. You still owe me thirty minutes,” she chuckled.  

 


	19. Chapter 19

Alannah was angry and in pain when she rushed off of the asteroid.  She felt the rage build as she watched the system flicker then disappear from the Galaxy Map.  _Goddamn reapers. Goddamn Hackett._ She had a feeling that the Alliance wasn’t going to be so excited to have her _back_ now.  Chakwas insisted on a thorough medical evaluation to make sure that she hadn’t been seriously injured.

She was sitting in the Med Bay with her head in her hands when she heard Hackett talking to the Doc.  He must’ve heard the _good_ news.  Her anger towards him was only slightly misplaced.  She hadn’t wanted to take on the mission alone.  She understood the reasons, but she’d learned from long time ago that even covert operations usually ended up requiring back-up.

With at least one other person with her, maybe she’d have stood a chance against the overwhelming indoctrinated forces.  Shepard didn’t feel like dealing with him at the moment and definitely _not_ with an audience.  Since they’d separated from Cerberus, EDI was no longer sending information to the Illusive Man.  But the crew did _not_ need to see her yelling at an Admiral.

“Commander,” he stepped over after finishing up with Chakwas.  “What the hell happened down there?”

Alannah grabbed her report and stalked over to him.  She threw the datapad at him. “Read it for yourself.”

“Alannah?” He grabbed the datapad but ignored it to focus on her. “You know the batarians are not going to want to let this go.”

“I tried.  But your _friend?_ She left a goddamn artifact out in the open and ended up indoctrinated.  I tried to send out an emergency transmission to the batarians but _Kenson_ stopped it.”  Shepard continued past him out of the Med Bay.

“The Alliance will have questions.” Hackett trailed her into the elevator.

“It was your fucking idea, you answer them.” She reached out to hit the second deck button but he beat her to the punch and hit the one for first floor. She hit the second deck button anyway.

“Alannah.” His voice followed her out on the CIC. 

With a sigh, she stepped back into the elevator to head up to her quarters. “What?”

“You’ll have to head to Earth in a few weeks.” Hackett walked into her cabin and moved over to sit on the couch. 

Shepard sat on the edge of her desk. “You mean the brig, right?  The batarians will want blood.  The Alliance wants to avoid war.  The obvious decision would be to toss me into a cell and throw the key away.”

“I won’t…”

“You won’t have a choice, so don’t bother lying to make yourself feel better.” Alannah had no intention of shirking her duty to the Alliance, but she wouldn’t sugarcoat a fucking thing for Hackett.  It was his favor that had laid this on her shoulders. “My career just tanked spectacularly in a way that not even Cerberus could’ve done.  I’ll drop the crew on Omega.  Send whoever’s going to escort me to Earth there. I know it won’t be you.”

“ _Alannah._ ”

“What? It won’t be.  It would look a little odd if _Admiral Hackett_ escorted the _disgraced_ Commander Shepard to the brig.” She bit her thumbnail while she tried to untangle her mixed emotions. “Your shuttle is waiting for you, _Sir._   And I’ll be on Omega in four days.  Have the jailer meet me at the docking bay.”

“I’m not leaving yet, girl.” He stood to walk over to the desk.  His hand brushed one of the new scars on her cheek. “I’m sorry.”

“Why?” Alannah raised an eyebrow and took a deep breath to reign in her emotions. “You gave a mission to a qualified operative.  The mission went badly. I’m angry at what happened. There’s nothing you could’ve done to prevent that though.”

“I’m sorry that you have to take the hit.” Hackett leaned in to place a kiss on the scratch.  “I still owe you thirty minutes.”

“Save it for another day, _Admiral._ ” Shepard touched her fingers to his lips before dodging around him and starting for the door. “Have a safe trip back to your _office._ ”

“I’m not heading for Arcturus.  I’m heading for Vancouver for a few months to begin coordinating the fleets.  And then I’ll be going back to Arcturus.” Hackett’s hand wrapped around her arm and pulled her back against him.  His lips hovered just behind her ear.  “Do you think I’d throw you to the wolves and not be close at hand?”

“I…”

“You sure you don’t want to use that thirty minutes?” He asked.

“Not yet.  I’ve got the endless drudgery of the brig coming up.  I can definitely think of ways to use those thirty minutes.” She gave a half-hearted laugh. “I’m not cleared for extraneous activity.  I’ll see you on Earth, _Admiral.”_

 

 


	20. Chapter 20

Four days after arriving on Omega, Shepard stood at the Galaxy Map. She leaned her forearms against the railing and stared at all the places that she could run to while waiting for Anderson to join her.  He’d indicated that he needed to find someone first.    She was contemplating heading to Alchera when he stepped out of the airlock with a contingent of marines.

_Oh honestly, like she was going to run._

_Think about it? Maybe._

_Do it? No._

_Fucking Alliance._

“Admiral Anderson.” Alannah offered the Admiral a salute.  She glanced behind him. “Expecting trouble, sir?”

“Shepard.” Anderson gave her an oddly regretful smile. “I’d like you to meet Lieutenant James Vega.  He’s...well…he’ll be keeping you company.”

She ignored the salute Vega offered her and held out her hand to shake his. “Well, if they were going to give me a jailer, at least he’s easy on the eyes.”

“ _Commander_.” Anderson shook his head. “Are you ready?”

“Sure.  Joker’s already preparing for the jump to Sol.  I do have one request.” Alannah followed the Admiral into the elevator and they headed down to the crew deck.

“What’s that?”

“Cuffs.” She’d been thinking about this since she knew they’d be tossing her in the detention center.

“I am not putting you in handcuffs.” Anderson wandered over to the bar in the lounge to pour them both a drink.

“Oh come on, Anderson.  It’ll look good for the batarians.” She ignored the glass that he offered to her and hopped up on the bookshelf that Kasumi usually sat on.

“I have strict instructions.  No handcuffs.” Anderson leaned back against that bar.

“Instructions?” Alannah raised an eyebrow at him.

“Admiral Hackett was very _specific_ about what would and would not be acceptable treatment for the first human spectre.  The Defense Committee has a lot of questions, and they’re going to try to deflect the batarian anger towards you completely.  But Hackett managed to put a few roadblocks in their path.”  He gave her a curious glance. “He’s worked rather tirelessly on it for the last week.”

“Interesting.” Shepard kept her face blank when she met his eyes. “I still vote for cuffs.”

“No.”

“So why Vega?” She moved on to the marine currently parked outside the lounge.

“He’s proven himself capable of handling _difficult_ assignments.  He also happens to be painfully aware of the dangers that the reapers pose.” Anderson set his glass down on the bar.

“Difficult? Me?” Alannah smiled. “I’ll be a _model_ prisoner.”

The media circus that she stepped out into had her regretting her promises regarding being a model prisoner.  The headlines would all be squarely focused on the former _hero_ Commander Shepard being led into the Alliance Headquarters to face questions regarding her actions in Batarian space.  Anderson and Vega led her through the crowds gathered near the docks.

Admiral Hackett met them just inside the building.  Anderson disappeared while Hackett and the Lieutenant led Shepard down a hallway towards a lift.  Alannah stepped into the elevator with Vega standing to her right and Hackett just in front of her.  She reached up to pinch the Admiral on the ass while Vega was focused on hitting the button for the right floor.  She heard the murmured _‘brat’_ that was covered by a cough.

“Sir?” Vega glanced over at Hackett.

“Just clearing my throat.” Hackett frowned at him then at Alannah who kept _her gaze_ firmly on the elevator doors and _her fingers_ gently wandered all over the back of his pants.

She stayed silent all the way to her _room_ in the detention center.  “How very…cozy.”

“It could be worse…much worse.” Hackett waited for Vega to step out of the room before speaking.

“Hmm.” She wandered over to the window to see what the view was like. “I’m going to miss the stars.”

“ _Alannah?”_

Shepard turned to face him. “I already told Anderson that I’d behave myself.”

“The Defense Committee…”

“Stop.” She held up her hand. “Not interested.  So about those thirty minutes.”

“Not now, _brat_.” He gave her a warning look.

“Careful, _Admiral,_ I might start charging you interest by the minute if you delay too long.” She looked towards the door when Anderson stepped inside.

“The Defense Committee will convene in the morning.  Lieutenant Vega will escort you at 0800.” Anderson held out his hand. “I’ll need to confiscate your omni-tool.”

“Pity, I left it on the ship.” She held up her hands by way of demonstration.  She’d actually hidden the damn thing in her boot.

“Commander.” He frowned at her.

“Admiral.” She frowned right back at him.

“You talk to her.” Anderson shook his head at Hackett then left the room.

“Alannah?” Hackett moved towards her once they were alone again.

“Yes?”

“Nevermind,” he sighed.  “I’ll be sitting in on the first meeting tomorrow.  Be up at 0600, we can have breakfast.”

She turned back to the window. “Yes, Sir, Admiral, sir.”

Alannah waited until it was late into the night to retrieve the omni-tool from her boot.  She’d already decided where to hide it in her room.  It was another week or so before she decided to use it.  It had only taken a week of _meetings_ with the committee before she found herself in desperate need of stress release. There was nothing worse than dealing with a panel of the brass that hadn’t _ever_ stepped out of their cushy offices into a real war.

* * *

_Inter-Relay Text Chat_

_Location: Vancouver_

_From: Shepard_

_To: Hackett_

_01:19 S: What are you wearing?_

_01:24 H: I thought you left your omni-tool on the Normandy._

_01:26 S: I lied._

_01:29 H: I should confiscate it._

_01:31 S: You’d have to find it first._

_01:32 H: I could order you to hand it over._

_01:34 S: And my response would be, what omni-tool? I don’t have an omni-tool._

_01:35 S: So what are you wearing?_

_01:36 H: You’re risking adding an additional charge to find out what clothes that I have on?_

_01:38 S: Would you rather talk about the weather? Or how about that biotiball game last week?_

_01:41 H: You are exhausting._

_01:42 S: I’d like to be._

_01:43 H: Alannah._

_01:44 S: You owe me thirty minutes of control, Admiral.  Now you can find a way to give it to me, or I can find a way to break out of the detention center and take it myself._

_01:45 H: I will not risk your career._

_01:46 S: My career? What career? Haven’t you been listening to the defense committee? I don’t have one. I’m disgraced. A traitor. Sleeping with a commanding officer really seems like the least of my problems._

_01:47 S: Or is it your career that you’re worried about?_

_01:49 H: Alannah._

_01:51 S: Well?_

_01:53 H: So…this thirty minutes…you want to use it now? Are you sure?_

_01:54 S: Use it, use you…yes, I’m sure._

_01:56 H: I’ll be there momentarily, don’t go anywhere._

_01:57 S: Very fucking funny._

_01:58 User has disconnected._

* * *

She sat on the table in the room with her legs kicking back and forth.  It took Hackett twenty minutes to arrive.   He was still in the dress uniform that she’d seen him in earlier though his sleeves were rolled up.  He glanced around the dimly lit room until he spotted her.  She grabbed him by the sleeve and tugged him over until he was standing between her legs.

“Where’s the omni-tool?” He rested his hands on her thighs.

“What omni-tool?” She grinned up at him.

“It’s better for me to find it than someone else.” He sounded concerned.

“They won’t find it,” she shrugged. “How else am I supposed to pass the time?”

_“Alannah.”_

“ _Admiral._ ” She matched his tone. “Let’s be honest, it’s 0200 and you are in _my_ room in the brig.  You don’t really have a lot of room to point fingers.”

“ _Brat._ ”

Alannah ignored him and reached out to lift up the hem of his shirt to reach the top of his trousers. “I take it back; I have _much_ better ideas for how to pass the time.”

Hackett was silent while she undid his pants and pushed them down.  He stepped out of them and his boxers as well.  She removed his shirt next.  His hands moved to hers but she grabbed his wrists and held them.  It might just be thirty minutes, but she’d spent the last few weeks with no control and this was her chance to exert a little.  Hopping off the table, she pushed him back towards the bed and then down on it. She quickly shed her clothes and climbed up over him.

She took his hands when he started to caress her thighs and lifted them over his head.  “Hands to yourself, _Admiral._ ”

“Are you sure?”

“I think it’s time to shut you up for once.” Alannah moved up until she was hovering over his head.  She lowered her pussy slowly down on his mouth. “Why don’t you use that tongue for something other than ordering me around for once, _Admiral?”_

Thirty minutes went by way too fast.  She wasn’t sure how the hell he knew when it had passed but he did.  He grabbed her by the waist and flipped her underneath him.  His hand rested on her collarbone as he held her still with his other hand resting on her hip.  She groaned in frustration when he pulled his cock out of her and then pressed back in slowly.  He just chuckled at her while he took back his control one long, slow thrust at time.  She was begging for it long before he finally let her orgasm.

She was tempted to complain but the amusing sight of Hackett sneaking out of the brig kept her quiet.  It was a few days before she saw the Admiral again.  Vega led her into a crowded elevator to head up to another damn meeting with the committee.  The elevator stopped at the next floor to let someone else in and she ended up backing up into the person behind her.

“Sorry,” she muttered trying to move forward but a hand grabbed the back of her shirt to stop her. She glanced over her shoulder to find an amused Hackett.  “ _Admiral._ ”

“Eyes forward, _Alannah.”_ His words were barely above a whisper.

With a raised eyebrow, she followed his command. The fingers holding her shirt let go and slid down to brush against her ass.  They moved along the seam of her fatigues that went between her legs.  He applied enough pressure that she had to keep from being pushed forward; Hackett pulled a finger back to flick lightly between her legs.  The sound muffled by the fatigues.  He went back to gliding over her again and again then just as quickly, he removed his hand entirely.

“ _Bastard.”_ She muttered under her breath. “Goddamn bastard.”

“I’ll trade you, an orgasm for the omni-tool.” His hand rested her lower back.

“Hmm. No.” She shook her head then pressed herself against him. “Just remember that nothing for me equals the same for you, _Admiral.”_

_“Brat.”_

They stepped out of the elevator.  She expected Hackett to head to wherever he was going, but instead he asked Vega to give him a minute.  He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into an empty office.  The moment the door close, he pushed her up against the wall with his hands on her arms.

“Where is the omni-tool, Alannah?” Hackett kept his voice to a low whisper.

“What omni-tool?” She grinned up at him.

“That was _not_ a request, girl.”

“That’s wonderful.” She gestured towards the door where Vega could be heard knocking.  “Be right there, Lieutenant.”

“This conversation is not over.” Hackett growled into her ear before leading her back out to the waiting Vega.

“What was that about?” Vega asked once Hackett had walked away.

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” Alannah grinned at him and then followed him down the hall.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last of the re-write chapters, so everything going forward is all new and fresh and not rewritten. =)

 “Commander?” Vega stepped into the room and drew Alannah’s attention away from the game of solitaire she was playing.

“They stripped the rank from me, Lieutenant.” She gave him a tired look.  They spent a good two hours every day arguing about it. 

“Pendejos,” he muttered.

“Did you need something, Vega?” Shepard went back to the cards on the table. 

“I’m supposed to escort you to another meeting.” He stood waiting by the door.

“Oh joy.”

They walked through the maze of hallways in the opposite direction of where they normally went.  Vega finally stopped in front of a door, she stepped inside and he waved before the door slid shut. _Weird._ She turned around to find Hackett sitting in what was clearly an interrogation room. She took a seat across the table from him.

_“Admiral.”_

Hackett slid datapad across the table at her. “The committee was made aware of the fact that someone has been sending files from the brig to Palaven and to the Shadow Broker.  They believe that it’s you. Where’s the omni-tool?”

“No idea what you’re talking about,” Alannah shrugged.  She glanced around the corners of the room looking for a camera. 

“There’s no recording of this conversation and no one’s watching. It’s just you and me for the moment.” He tapped his finger on the table. “I’m in a _difficult_ position.  They don’t know what was in the messages.  They just believe that they were sent and sent by you.  If they can prove without a doubt that you sent them, it makes the entire process of leaving you to rot in the brig simple for the Committee.”

“I don’t have an omni-tool.  They confiscated everything that I had when I was brought into the detention center.  You were there, remember?” She leaned back in the chair and propped her feet up on the table. “This would be kind of sexy if it weren’t for the whole actually being in the brig thing.”

“ _Alannah._ ”

“What? Are you seriously going to tell me that somewhere in the dark corners of your mind, you aren’t thinking about taking me up against the wall?” She interlaced her fingers behind her head to stare up at the grey ceiling. “They won’t find the omni-tool because there isn’t one.”

“Are you _sure_?”

She tilted her head so she could look over at him. “Are we done with the interrogation, _Admiral?_ I was in the middle of a very _important_ game of solitaire.”

“That’s not an answer.” Hackett frowned at her.

“I’m certain that they won’t find an omni-tool in my room or on my person.  I’m also certain that if they bothered to check, they’d find no concrete evidence of any messages being sent.” Alannah went back to staring at the ceiling.  “Fucking idiots. How the hell has the Alliance gotten this far if it’s run by people like the Committee?”

Hackett surged up from his chair and around the table.  He grabbed her by the front of her fatigues and dragged her over to the far corner of the room.  Shoving her up against the wall, he glared down at her.  Alannah smiled back up at him in response.

“Do you think this is a joke?” His voice dropped to an angry whisper. “They want to court -martial you.  If they can prove that you sent a single message to the Shadow Broker or anyone else for that matter, they’ll use it against you.  It’ll be the drop that makes the cup overflow. I’m trying to _save your damn_ career.”

She reached up to touch his clenched jaw with her finger. “Maybe you should focus on getting the fleets organized? You were _supposed_ to leave Earth yesterday.”

“Trying to tell me what to do, girl?” His eyes flashed with anger.

“If it gets you off of Earth, yes, I am.” She ignored his anger because he knew that she was right.

“ _Alannah_.” His jaw clenched even tighter.

Her fingers reached up to grab him by the beard. “You can’t organize the fleets from Earth. You know it and I know it.  If this relationship is going to work, we still need to be able to do our jobs.  And your job is not to try to save my career.”

“Let go of my beard.”

“ _No_.” She gave it a not so gentle tug until he lowered his head close enough to kiss. “I’m going back to my little home away from home.”

“This interrogation is _not_ over.” His fingers slowly untangled hers from his beard. His hand wrapped around her neck while his thumb ran roughly along her bottom lip before pushing between her lips. “What happened to your omni-tool?”

She bit the tip of his thumb. Hackett removed it from her mouth then moved his hand up to grasp her jaw. “What _omni-tool?”_

“Answer the goddamn question.” Hackett tightened his grip on her.

“It’s somewhere at the bottom of Vancouver Bay, which means that you owe me an omni-tool.” She finally gave him the answer that he was looking for.

“Good girl.” Hackett’s fingers caressed her jaw. “I’m leaving in a few hours.  But you’re going to have to pay for that insubordination.”

“Why? _Admiral Hackett_ was interrogating _Commander Shepard_.” She raised an eyebrow at him before laughing when he released her.  She turned serious for a moment. “This relationship is like walking on a double-edged sword. I love it.  But sometimes, it cuts a little too deeply.”

Hackett didn’t respond. His hand was around her throat again, holding her up against the wall.  The fingers of his other hands reached down to open her shirt.  His hand slid underneath her bra beforehe unsnapped her pants to push them down.  His hand delved roughly between her legs once his leg separated them.

“Nothing to say now, _Alannah?”_ He asked.

She couldn’t think of an appropriate answer as he plunged three fingers roughly into her.   He unzipped his pants with one hand and chuckled darkly when she complained at the removal of his fingers.  His fingers tangled in her hair to lead her over to the nearby table.  He shoved her down on her back and with his other hand on her hip, he thrust into her.

“Interrogation over then?”

“It’s just _beginning_.” He growled into her ear before biting the base of her neck hard enough to leave a mark. “My little brat.”

“I’m afraid that I don’t have any more secrets to tell.” Alannah smirked up at him.

Hackett pulled his cock out of her and flipped her over on her stomach.  He delved two fingers into her pussy and dragged the moisture up to graze around her ass.  He thrust his cock hard into her pussy while taking his time in probing his fingers into her.   He added a third finger.  He twisted the fingers around until she felt an overwhelming need for more.   She squirmed underneath him.

“Did you really throw your omni-tool away?” Hacket leaned over to whisper in her ear.

“I…” She trailed off when he removed his fingers from her and pressed the head of his cock against her ass. “Yes.”

“ _Alannah_.”

She glanced back at him. “Are you calling me a liar?”

He ignored her question and sunk his cock slowly into her.  He waited until he was all the way inside before he reached underneath her to begin playing with her clit.  His other hand rested on her hip holding her in place.  Unable to thrust back against him, Alannah started to tighten herself around him.  The more she clenched herself around him, the harder he thrust into her.  His control wavered when she begged for release and they climaxed almost at the same time.

Hackett pulled a small cloth out of his pocket to help her clean up a little before he stepped back away from her.  “That’s my girl.”

Alannah waited until she’d straightened up her uniform before she turned to face him. “I’m a lot of things, _Admiral_.  I may avoid questions, and skillfully answer the ones that I can’t evade.  I do try to avoid lying to you though.”

Hackett grabbed her arm when she started towards the door. “It was just a question, girl.”

“And it’s been answered.” She stretched up to kiss him on the lips. “Good luck with the fleets, _Sir._ ”

 


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the comments, kudos and bookmarks/subscriptions. They're very encouraging when I'm trying to keep writing lol. =)
> 
> I took some liberties with what actually happens in game. 
> 
> Beta: CelticGrace
> 
> Bioware owns all...except my words.

“Commander? I think you’re going to want to see this.” Joker interrupted her conversation with Vega and she stepped into the lift to head up to the bridge.

“What is it Joker?” She slid into the co-pilot chair.

“Look.” He pointed out towards the massive debris field that they were flying through. “Do you think…hell…is that the whole damn fleet or just one?”

Alannah looked out the Alliance ships that were falling into the atmosphere.  The Reapers had decimated all of them.  It didn’t look like enough wreckage to be all five fleets, but who knew which one that it was.  It felt like they were flying through graves.

_Fuck._

_Hackett._

She had been so wrapped up in getting off of Earth, and then Liara had sent them an SOS asking for help on Mars.  The _Normandy_ was on its way to the Mars facility now.  But Alannah had focused so much on that it hadn’t occurred to her that _her Admiral_ might be in the fucking path of the Reapers. Her fingers clenched around the arms of the seat.

“Commander? Shepard? Are you ok?” Joker looked at her in concern. “We just got the ship back can you not break it?”

Alannah barked out a harsh laugh. “Get us to Mars.  I need to see if I can reach anyone over the QEC.”

 “Commander?” Traynor caught Shepard’s attention as she forced herself to walk towards the door that led to the War Room.

“Yes?”

“Admiral Hackett left this for you before he left Earth a few months ago.” Traynor handed her a bag.

“Hackett?” Alannah took the bag and peered inside to find a new omni-tool. “Let me know when we reach the Mars.”

“Yes, Commander.”

She ordered everyone in the War Room out for a short _break_.  EDI helped her try every channel that they could to reach anyone across the fleet.  It was probably because they were still in the SOL system and Arcturus had more than likely already been destroyed.  If so, it was going to take a few days before anyone would be able to get…fuck.

“Fuck it, EDI.  Keep trying.” Alannah pulled up her omni-tool to send a quick message before leaving the War Room.

* * *

_From: Shepard_

_To: Hackett_

_Subj: Omni-Tool_

_Thanks._

_Where the fucking fuck are you?_

_Alannah_

* * *

Mars had turned out to be the shit icing on the shit cake of a day.  It was bad enough that the Reapers had finally invaded but the Illusive Man had clearly gone over the edge into lunacy.  _Stupid bastard._ She did remind him that she considered it her personal mission in life to destroy evil, and he’d just gotten himself knocked up to the top of the fucking list.

They had retrieved Liara and the data, and carried Ash back to the _Normandy_ when the Cerberus creation body-slammed her. It didn’t give her a lot of time to think about the fact that they still hadn’t heard from Hackett.  Joker rushed them out of the system and to the Citadel.

Alannah hadn’t expected help from the Council and she didn’t get any.  Udina was as fucking useless as she remembered him being.  She stopped by Huerta to find that Ash was still in surgery.  She decided it was time to head to Palaven and made her way back to the _Normandy_.

“Commander? Admiral Hackett has been trying to reach you over the QEC.” Traynor informed her the minute that she stepped into the CIC.

“Hackett? Tell EDI to patch him through into the Vid-Comm in my quarters.” Alannah told herself to walk _not fucking run_ to the elevator.

“Shepard?” Hackett’s image blurred and shook for a minute before EDI finally managed to clear up the connection. “Commander? Can you hear me?”

 _“Admiral.”_ Alannah couldn’t keep the slight hint of emotion from her voice.  “Sir? We weren’t sure if…it’s good to see you.”

“Alannah.” Hackett spoke after a minute. She got the feeling that he’d cleared the room. “I was worried that you didn’t make it off of Earth.”

“You were fucking worried?” She stared up at the ceiling for a moment. “Are you safe?”

“Safe?” He raised an eyebrow at her. “Safe? I don’t believe there is such a thing any longer. You were right about the Reapers.  I’m just sorry that the rest of the Alliance was too stubborn to do more to prepare.”

“We flew through the debris field around Earth.  I thought…it…” Alannah fought the overwhelming desire to destroy something just to vent the building emotions.

“Talk to me, girl.”

“I thought you were dead.  I thought…we couldn’t tell if it was one fucking fleet or all of them. And if it was one? Which fucking one?” Alannah moved out of view to stare at her empty aquarium.

“Alannah? Get back over here so I can see you.” Hackett’s voice followed her. “ _Now_ , girl.”

She rolled her eyes and waited the obligatory prolonged seconds to aggravate him before she stepped back in front of the comm. “Yes, sir, Admiral, sir.”

“My _poor little brat_.” Hackett seemed mildly amused when she was in front of him again. “I’m getting the rest of the fleets organized.  Doctor T’soni forwarded the information on the Prothean blueprints that were on Mars.  Contact me when you’re done on Palaven.”

“Yes, sir,” she grinned at him before disconnecting the comm. 

Alannah turned around to lean back against the desk.  She stared at the bathroom door while she gathered her thoughts.  She decided to head down to speak with Vega and Cortez when the vid-comm beeped again.  She pulled it up and wasn’t actually surprised to see Hackett again.

_“Admiral?”_

“It’s ok to be a little emotional, brat.  I was worried about you too.” Hackett gave her a knowing smile.  “I _love_ you.”


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy.
> 
> Thanks for all the kudos, subscriptions and comments. They help me stay motivated to write faster. =)
> 
> Bioware owns all sadly.

“Commander? Admiral Hackett is available on Vid-comm.” Traynor greeted her when she stepped out of the elevator.

“I’m sure he is.” Alannah was not in the mood to speak with anyone. 

They’d just come back from picking up the Primarch on Menae and then headed over to Grissom Academy to rescue the students and teachers that were trapped by Cerberus.   She wasn’t sure if it was seeing David Archer, or dealing with Cerberus or remembering the little boy on Earth that she’d tried to save.  But somewhere in the middle of all of it, she’d started to get irrationally angry at everything and everyone including herself.

Alannah hid in her room and avoided everyone until they arrived on the Citadel.  She pulled on jeans, a black t-shirt and a red leather jacket with her boots to head down to run a few errands.  She was walking out of Purgatory after talking with Aria when Alex stepped into her path.

_Fucking brilliant._

“Get out of my way, Alex.” Alannah tried to step around him.

“ _Disgraced Commander Shepard.”_ He smirked at her.

“Unless you want my foot up your ass, I suggest that you get the fuck out of my way.” Alannah shoved him away from her and she stormed over to the skycar terminal to hop a ride up to the docking bay. She found _Admiral Hackett_ waiting for her by the airlock.  _Shit._

“Were you ignoring my comm request for a reason?” He frowned at her.

“I was told that you were available, not that you _needed_ to speak with me.” She snapped at him.

“Something wrong?” Hackett gripped her by the arm and leaded her away from the airlock towards the skycar terminal again. 

Alannah played with the sleeve of her jacket and pretended to ignore the question.  She felt the weight of his gaze on her, but she chose to act like she didn’t.

"Truth or dare?" Hackett broke the silence.

"Dare...Truth." Alannah turned her head towards him. "Just ask the fucking question."

"Are you trying to provoke me, Alannah?" He frowned at her.

"Yes." She smirked at him.

"That was not the question." He struggled to hide his smile.

"It really seemed like a question." Alannah laughed at him. The laughter seemed to break through whatever funk that had been over her since Grissom Academy. "What was the actual question?"

“ _Brat._ ” He tugged on a strand of her hair. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Alannah started to say no but her brain wasn’t cooperating with her. “Not yet. Later?”

“Hmm.” Hackett tapped his finger against her temple until she turned towards him. “Do you need something to channel all of that muddled emotion in your head, Alannah?”

Nodding seemed like the best response, she wasn’t entirely certain what he meant.  Thirty minutes later, when she was completely fucking naked and bent over across his lap, it had become crystal clear what he intended.  His hand gently caressed her back for a while before moving down her spine.  The first few swats with his hand were teasing glances.

The next few were not quite so gentle.  He came down hard on first one cheek and then the other.  She writhed underneath the continued strikes.  Her shifting brought her up further on his lap and her pussy rubbed directly over his jean covered cock.   The bastard had the nerve to chuckle while he switched from spanking to once again caress the heated skin with his fingertips.  His hand dipped between her thighs.

“Wet already, girl?” He chuckled again.

The brilliantly sarcastic response on the tip of her tongue never made it out of her mouth.  His hand picked up the speed and voracity of the spanking once again.  Whenever her ass started to feel like it was truly on fire, he’d stop to run his fingers over the warm flesh and then thrust them into her pussy for a while.

Each swat had her twisting in his lap and the added friction.  He kept going even when her moans turned into quiet sobs.  It was the released that she’d been looking for.  She felt the emotions that had been knotted up inside of her slowly start to unravel. 

“That’s it, _Alannah_ , let it all out.”  He continued swatting her ass with one hand while reaching between her legs with the other to begin thrusting his fingers inside of her.

It was a slow building orgasm that took everything out of her.  She trembled and whimpered when he finally eased her up into his arms and over into the blankets of the bed across the room.  She heard him murmuring things to her but she couldn’t catch must of it.  Her body finally went limp as the rush of adrenaline faded.  Between the gentle touches and his whispered, ‘ _my beautiful little brat,’_ Alannah drifted off to sleep.   It was a scene that was repeated several times before she finally started to feel more like herself.

“My armor is going to be a total bitch to wear.” Alannah rolled over on her back and immediately regretted it.

Hackett tugged her back over into his arms. “ _Poor little brat_.  So what had you so riled up?”

“I’m still not entirely sure.” She snuggled deeper into his arms. “Maybe I just missed you.”

“ _Alannah_.”

“It’s potentially true,” she grinned. “Truth or dare, _Admiral?”_

“Truth.”

“Of course.” Alannah rolled her eyes at him. “Have you ever been spanked?”

“What?”

“You heard me.” She tilted her head back to look up at him. “You could forfeit.”

 _“Brat,_ ” Hackett sighed. “No, I haven’t.”

“Can I take your virginity?” Alannah couldn’t resist the question.

 

 


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy.
> 
> Thanks for all the kudos, subscriptions and comments. They help me stay motivated to write faster. =)
> 
> Bioware owns all sadly.

_Inter-Relay Text Chat_

_Location: Sur’Kesh_

_From: Alannah_

_To: Hackett_

_21:02 A: I’ll bet you 300 credits that Wrex head-butts the Primarch within a week._

_21:04 H: You need to keep that from happening._

_21:06 A: I might need to requisition more ryncol._

_21:07 H: More… ryncol?_

_21:08 A: More. Lots more. The bastard only brought three bottles with him._

_21:09 H: Only three? I think I need to have a little chat with your requisitions officer._

_21:10 A: Bastard._

_21:11 H: Brat._

_21:12 A: I’m just trying to keep the fucking peace._

_21:13 H: Less ryncol, more peace._

_21:14 A: I don’t think you understand the Krogan at all._

_21:15 H: I understand, my girl, perfectly._

_21:16 A: Sweet talking fucker._

_21: 17 A: Truth or dare, Admiral?_

_21:18 H: Truth._

_21:19 A: Would you love me better if I weren’t…a brat?_

_21:21 H: I love you the way that you are girl._

_21:32 H: Truth or dare?_

_21:33 A: Truth._

_21:34 H: What exactly did you say to Captain Webb this morning?_

_21:36 A: How the…I…_

_21:39 H: Alannah._

_21:41 A: I told him that I wasn’t available._

_21:42 H: And?_

_21:43 A: That was the gist of it._

_21:44 H: Tell me all of it, girl. And maybe I’ll give you a reward._

_21:45 A: Tempting bastard._

_21:48 A: Fine. I told the asshole that he’d never satisfied me. And I’d found someone with more fucking experience that knew how to use their dick._

_21:53 H: Alannah._

_21:54 A: You asked._

_21:55 A: Truth or dare, Admiral?_

_21:56 H: Dare._

_21:57 A: Excellent. When you can meet me on the Citadel?_

_21:58 H: Two days.  What do you have in mind?_

_21:59 A: I’ll head to Tuchanka to figure out what Cerberus is up to, and then meet you there._

_22:01 H: You didn’t answer my question._

_22:03 A: Sorry, I hear Wrex and ryncol calling._

_22:04 User has disconnected._

* * *

_Three days later._

Alannah had a naked Hackett bent over a table in the bedroom.  His legs were spread and secured to the table legs.  His arms were bound as well.  She stepped around to crouch down low enough that she could look him in the eyes. 

“If you want me to stop, all you have to do is say, ‘ _I surrender,’_ understood?” Alannah grinned at him. “Can you do that, Sir?”

“Alannah.”

“I asked you a question.” She tugged hard on his beard.

 _“I understand.”_ The look in her eyes told her that she’d be paying for this later.

She kissed him lightly on the lips before standing and heading back around the table.  She ran her fingers along the back of the legs.  She squatted down so she could reach underneath him to place cock ring down over him.  It would prevent him from _getting_ off too quickly. She stroked him a few times, long, easy movements with her fingers clasped around him. 

The angle that she’d tied him allowed her to easily stroke him with her hand or suck him into her mouth with ease.  But it also provided the perfect set up for the little paddle that she’d purchased from a specialty shop on one of the lower wards on the Citadel.  She let her fingers drift up to gently caress the back of his thighs and then his ass.  She pulled the paddle out of her bag and teased him with it.

For the next ten or fifteen minutes, Alannah created what must have been a maddening set of repeated movements.  She’d stroke his cock first, and then with ever increasing swats, spank both of his cheeks and then take his cock into her mouth while her fingers offered a gentle relief to the skin warmed by the paddle. When he started to get too hard, she moved back up to begin all over again.

It had started as a joke for her. But at some point, maybe it was the way his skin reddened from the strikes or the way his breath hitched when she took him into her mouth.  The way that he’d started to moan when she pulled off of him to spank him again.  She briefly considered making him beg, but the bastard would never do that.  She finally took the ring off of him and gave him the relief that he was looking for.

“ _Admiral?”_ She’d already called out to him three times and he still hadn’t responded.

Alannah was starting to freak out a little bit. _Maybe she’d gone too far._ She’d released him but he hadn’t moved yet.  She was afraid to touch him now.  The silence bothered her.  She wondered if she should touch him or try to move him to the couch.

“Hackett? Sir?” She hesitated behind him. “Are you…shit…did I…damn it, say something.”

The only thing that she could think was that he was angry with her. _Fuck_. One of these days, she was going to start thinking about things before she did them.  Or, she’d just change her damn middle name to impulsive.  She decided that leaving might be the best course of action.  She dressed quickly and headed for the living room.

“Alannah.”

She ignored the voice and continued towards the front door.

“ _Stop.”_

Alannah looked back over her shoulder to find Hackett standing behind her. He’d wrapped his black robe around him.  She stood by the door biting her thumbnail. “Are you…”

“Come join me in the bed, girl.” He held out his hand towards her.

“I…need to get back to the ship.” She searched his face for any signs that he was upset.

“The ship can wait. I don’t want to have to ask you again.” His hand was still outstretched. Alannah walked over to place her hand in his.  He tugged her over against him. “I enjoyed it, girl.  I don’t think I’d want a repeat performance, but you can stop worrying about whether I’m angry.”

“I knew I should’ve made you beg for it.” Alannah went for sarcasm even as she felt relief course through her.  She sagged a little against him and his arm tightened around her back. “I think the next time; I’ll pick a fucking dare that’s a little less stressful.”

Hackett led her back into the bedroom.  He made her undress and climb under the covers with him.  He lay on his back with her curled up at his side. Her head rested against his chest with his arm wrapped around her and his fingers playing gently with her hair. 

“What had you so worried back there girl?” He asked.

“I thought maybe that I’d gone too far or disappointed you.” Alannah shifted so that she could look up at him. “I care about… _us_. I’ve got a history of fucking things up.”

“Was there more to the conversation with Captain Webb that you didn’t tell me?” Hackett prompted after she fell silent.

“It doesn’t matter.” She laid her head back down to listen to his heartbeat.

_“Alannah.”_

“As sexy as you saying my name is, Sir, it doesn’t change the fact that what I argued with Alex about is irrelevant.” She tugged on one of his chest hairs. “I don’t want to be in love with you, _Admiral._ It’s fucking inconvenient. Inconvenient, and scary and annoying as hell, it’d be great if you could make it stop.”

“I’m sorry, girl. It’s too damn late for that.” His arm tightened around her. “I find myself too in love with _my little brat_ to let her go.”


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy.
> 
> Thanks for all the kudos, subscriptions and comments. They help me stay motivated to write faster. =)
> 
> Bioware owns all sadly.

Alannah sat on the edge of her bed and stared at the fish swimming around in the tank.   Three fucking shots into the bottle of ryncol and she still couldn’t sleep.  They had managed to cure the genophage at the cost of Mordin’s life.  Garrus insisted that she get some rest, instead of rest, she found herself getting hammered. 

The _Normandy_ was on the way to the Citadel to figure out what the fuck Udina was up to.  She slept off the ryncol for a few hours before they arrived to find Cerberus making a play for control. _Fucking Cerberus._    She fought her way across the station trying to save the council and end the jumpy bastard with the sword.  She was only partially successful.

The last few days had sucked as far as Alannah was concerned.  She’d ended a coup, lost yet another friend, fallen through a fish tank and killed her clone.  The clone part was still fucking with her head.  All in all, it had just been a fucking brilliant week.  She wanted nothing more than a drink and maybe a little quality time with _the Admiral._

Once they’d _dealt_ with both Maya and the clone, Alannah took the cart with her things back up to her quarters.  She was changing out of her armor into jeans and a t-shirt when she caught sight of something at the side of the bed.  She stepped over and crouched down to find one of the ties that Hackett sometimes used on her.  She picked it up to find that it had been ripped apart.

_What the fucking hell?_

* * *

_Inter-Relay Text Chat_

_Location: Citadel_

_From: Alannah_

_To: Hackett_

_16:12 A: I had a clone._

_16:14 H: A clone?_

_16:17 A: I’ll send you the full report. But yes, I had a clone; Cerberus does like to be thorough.  She tried to take my life over.  She’s dead._

_16:18 H: A clone._

_16:19 H: You had a clone._

_16:22 A: Admiral? Were you on the Normandy earlier?_

_16:34 A: Sir?_

_16:41 H: Don’t call me that._

_16:42 A: Ok?_

_16:45 A: You came to see me didn’t you? But…it wasn’t me, whatever the hell happened, it was the fucking clone._

_16:56 A: Do I want to know what happened?_

_16:57 H: I think it would be wise if we took a break, Alannah._

_17:02 A: A break? Like….we take a fucking shore-leave together? Or?_

_17:03 A: What the fuck?_

_17:10 A: You at least owe me a fucking explanation, Admiral_.  

_17:13 H: I decided to give you a surprise inspection on the Normandy.  Your clone played you very well.  So well…_

_17:16 A: You tied her up.  I saw one of the ties on the ground._

_17:18 H: You…She…accused me of using my authority over her to…I’m not having this damn conversation.  I think it would be best if we kept our relationship professional._

_17:20 A: But that wasn’t me. I don’t…you can’t be serious. Sir? Please don’t do this? Not after…you said that you…and I said.  Ok, clearly I’m not fucking capable of coherent sentences._

_17:22 H: I’ll expect your report on the clone situation in the morning, Commander._

_17:23 User has disconnected._

* * *

Alannah stared at the closed chat window stunned.  She felt completely and totally shattered. She pulled up her inbox to send a message to him.

* * *

_From: Alannah_

_To: Hackett_

_Subj: Either you are a coward or a liar._

_I’ll let you pick which fucking one._

_You said that you wouldn’t let me go, that you loved me._

_Alannah_

* * *

_From: Admiral Hackett_

_To: Commander Shepard_

_Subj: Your Report._

_I have not received your report on the mission._

_Hackett_

* * *

_From: Alannah_

_To: Hackett_

_Subj: Coward._

_Are you seriously pulling that fucking bullshit with me?_

_After…everything, that’s it? No explanation, you just bolt for the safety of the Crucible._

_Fucking coward._

_Talk to me. Please? Not the fucking official shit, just…talk to me._

_Don’t I deserve that at least?_

_Alannah_

* * *

Three days went by without a response.  Alannah had asked EDI about the security cameras that had once been in her quarters.  EDI was able to obtain the audio of what happened between Hackett and the clone. If the bitch hadn’t already been dead, Alannah would’ve been tempted to eviscerate her…twice. 

The clone had waited until he had tied her up before suddenly starting to threaten to cry rape on him.  She’d accused him of using his position to force her to do things that she didn’t want to do. Hackett had ripped the ties off of her and left almost immediately.  EDI’s connection to the ship had been cut so she didn’t have anything beyond that.

* * *

_From: Alannah_

_To: Hackett_

_Subj: re: The Clone._

_You have never once used your position of authority to coerce me into anything. I’ve always known that I could so no at any time and you’d respect my decision._

_Will you please just fucking talk to me?_

_Alannah_

* * *

_From: Alannah_

_To: Hackett_

_Subj: Truth or dare?_

_I’m not going to stop sending fucking messages._

_You might as well respond._

_Alannah_

* * *

_From: Alannah_

_To: Hackett_

_Subj: The Quarians._

_I was walking across a docking tube and it fell out from under my feet._

_Fucking quarian bastards._

_Why must admirals be so stubborn?_

_I know you want to say brat. Just say it._

_Please?_

_Alannah_

* * *

Hackett closed out his terminal without responding to her message.  He rubbed his hand across his eyes.  He was exhausted physically and mentally.  He’d known getting involved with a younger, junior office was a risk.  And given the nature of their relationship, he had always tried to be carefully to let her decide whether to surrender to him or not.  The clone had unknowingly hit a tender spot with her accusations.  

The report on the geth dreadnought had been on his desk for the last few hours.  He had read through it multiple times.  He couldn’t shake the slight grip of fear in his chest that he’d almost lost her again.  It was stupid, since he’d already pushed her away.

* * *

_From: Admiral Hackett_

_To: Commander Shepard_

_Subj: The Quarians._

_I saw the report that you sent on the dreadnought._

_I’m pleased that you and your crew made it off the ship safely._

_Keep me appraised._

_Hackett_

* * *

_From: Alannah_

_To: Hackett_

_Subj: re: The Quarians._

_Yes, Sir. Admiral, Sir._

_Alannah_

* * *

“Truth or dare, sir?”

Hackett spun around the moment that he stepped into his office the following morning to find Alannah reclining in his desk chair with her boots propped up on his desk. “What the hell are you doing here? You’re supposed to be trying to end the war between the geth and the quarians.”

"Truth or dare." Alannah reiterated her question. "I only have an hour."

"Get out of my chair and my office, _Commander_." He steeled himself before meeting her gaze.  The hurt in her eyes hit him hard in the heart.

"Out of your life, as well?" She raised an eyebrow at him. "Would that make it all the more _convenient_?"

"Watch your tone, Commander."

Alannah surged out of the chair to grab him by the front of the shirt and slam him into the wall. "No. _No_. You don't get to wipe your hands of me that easily, _Admiral_. Not after you...I love you, damn it. Doesn't that mean anything to you? I thought..."

"Commander." Hackett broke her hold on his shirt and pushed her back away from him. "I want you back on the Normandy, _now_."

Alannah's hand shot out to slap him across the face. " _Bastard_."

“Did you just slap your CO?” Hackett held her wrist tightly in his grasp.

“No…well…yes.” Alannah struggled to get her hand free. “No, I slapped my…ex…something.  _Whatever_. Throw me in the fucking brig, it won’t be the first time.”


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy.
> 
> Thanks for all the kudos, subscriptions and comments. They help me stay motivated to write faster. =)
> 
> Bioware owns all sadly.

“I can’t leave if you don’t fucking let go of my arm.” Alannah glared down at the hand on her wrist.  When he still didn’t let go, she glanced up at him in confusion. “Admiral?”

“Why slap me? Why not throw a punch?” Hackett asked.

“I don’t know how many times I have to tell you this, _Admiral._ I’m a fucking marine. I slapped you because if I’d thrown a punch, I’d have broken something.  And I…” Alannah had to take a deep breathe to finish her thought. “I didn’t want to hurt you.”

Hackett released her arm.  She thought she caught a glimmer of emotion in his eyes, but couldn’t be sure.  He was all _Admiral_ when he turned towards her. “I think it’s time to get back to your ship, Commander.”

Alannah stumbled back a little when he let go of her. She offered him a salute that would’ve had her DI yelling at her. “Yes, sir.”

She started towards the door but stopped.  Her hand leaned against the wall for support.  She tilted her head to meet his gaze.  Her eyes were filled with tears.  He flinched liked she’d actually punched him before turning his head away.  She decided to press the advantage; it might be the last chance that she got.

“If I could kill the bitch twice, I would.” Alannah choked on tears. “She tried to take over my life.  Instead, she fucking took the best thing in it.”

“ _Commander.”_ He didn’t look at her but she heard the warning in his tone.

“I don’t let people into my life that often.  I’ve been burnt too many times to be that fucking stupid.” Alannah pressed on as if he hadn’t spoken. “Maybe it’s because I end up fucking it up somehow, or that I get fucked over myself. I thought you’d be different.  I need you to be different.  Fuck. I just… _need_ you, Admiral.”

“Commander.”

“I’m not going to beg.” She reached out to run her fingers over his beard. “Maybe I already did. I never imagined that you’d be the one disappointing me, I thought it would be the other way around.”

“Truth or dare?” His words drifted over to her as she started for the door.  She ignored them and kept going. “ _Alannah._ ”

She stopped then to turn back to look at him.  His face was still the impenetrable _Alliance_ mask. “What?”

“Truth or dare?” He pressed her again for an answer.

“I can’t.” Alannah felt too emotionally raw to deal with much more of this agony. She couldn’t imagine what more they could possibly have to say to each other. Not that the bastard had actually said anything. “Just…truth.”

“If I tell you how very sorry that I am, can you forgive me?”

Alannah tried to get the words out but they seemed stuck in her throat. She finally nodded in response.  His fingers wrapped gently around her wrist again and he guided her towards him.  She lifted her hands to keep their bodies apart.

“Alannah?”

She tilted her head forward until it rested against his chest. “This relationship is supposed to be a two-way street, _Sir._ You can’t just make decisions like that without talking to me about it.”

His hand came up to grip the back of her neck. His touch felt warm and wonderfully familiar. “I am very, very sorry, girl.”

Alannah hid her tears in his shirt. The trembling that started in her shoulders gave her away.  Hackett gathered her up in his arms; he ignored her attempt to stop him.  He moved them both down on the couch across from his desk.  She was just getting comfortable in his arms when her omni-tool beeped.

“Fuck.” She muttered into his neck. “My hour is up.  I’ve got a quarian admiral to rescue.”

“I’ll meet you on the Citadel when you’ve finished on Rannoch.” Hackett tightened his grasp on her when she tried to get up. “Are we…ok, girl?”

“Yes, sir, Admiral, sir.” Alannah eased away from him and headed back to the _Normandy_.  She didn’t give him a chance to say or do anything else.

It was two days before she finally made it back to the Citadel.  She was sitting at the bar on the second level of the Casino near her apartment drinking something that tasted slightly better than ryncol. She should probably have sent Hackett a message, but fuck it.  She tapped the empty glass on the bar and waited for the bartender to fill it up again.

“You were supposed to let me know when you were finished.” Hackett sat on the barstool beside her.

“Fuck you.” Alannah set the glass down almost immediately. “I think I’ve had a little too much of this purple shit.”

“Something that you’d like to say, girl?” Hackett raised an eyebrow at her.

“Not here.” She got to her feet a little unsteady and grabbed the sleeve of his shirt.  She dragged him out of the casino to her apartment across the strip. She shoved him down into a recliner when they got inside and stood glaring over him. “You fucking abandoned me.”

“I did.”

“Don’t fucking do it again.” She tried to keep slight hitch out of her voice. “Don’t do it again.”

He reached out a hand towards her but she kept herself back away from it. “What do you _need,_ girl?”

“I don’t know.” Alannah backed away from him slowly and wandered over to the piano. She ran her fingers along the keys before stepping over to the window.  Strong arms slid around her waist and pulled her back against him, she felt his lips ghost across her neck. “I need you to fucking remember that _you_ are _mine.”_

“ _Brat._ ” He chuckled against her skin. His beard tickled the sensitive flesh. “My little brat.”

She twisted around in his arms. “Me? I didn’t do a fucking thing.”

“True.” He nipped along her neck. “Would you like me to make it up to you?”

“Yes, _sir. Admiral, Sir._ ” She had to grip his shirt for support when he slipped his fingers up to toy with her nipples.

“Ask.” He continued to roll her nipples between his fingers.

Alannah felt like her brain was filled with fog. “Ask what?”

“Ask.” He moved his head down to suck one of her nipples into his mouth.

“Truth or dare?”

“Dare.” He dragged his beard over her swollen nipple and chuckled darkly when her back arched in response.

“I…can’t…” She couldn’t think of a fucking dare when he was all but torturing her damn nipples. “Damn it, _Admiral._ ”

He unbuttoned her pants and slid his fingers inside her underwear. “My poor little brat, having trouble thinking?”

Her only response was to spread her legs a little to give him better access.  He granted her unspoken wish to press first one then a second finger into her pussy.  “You are an evil fucker.”

“I’m waiting for the dare, girl.” He curled the fingers inside of her.

“You keep doing that and you’re going to be waiting for a while.” Alannah muttered with a moan while she ground herself against his fingers. “Please…I need…”

“Would you like to cover my fingers with your juices, Alannah?” He flicked her now overly sensitive nipples with her tongue. “Hmm? Would you? Is that what you need? A reminder that we belong to each other?”

Her fingers clenched tightly into his shirt when he thrust a fourth finger into her pussy.  He twisted them around while he ran his thumbnail over her clit.   It wasn’t until his teeth clamped down on her nipple that she finally did climax.  She shook and trembled against him.  He had an arm around her back to keep her upright when her knees buckled.

He slid his fingers slowly out of her, his thumb brushed across her clit again.  The second orgasm was less violent but it took the last of her strength.  He licked his fingers and then lifted her up to lay her down on the nearby couch.  He paused between her legs to lick her pussy clean.  He moved up to cuddle her up against him.

“I love my little brat.” He murmured into her ear.

“You still owe me a fucking dare.” Alannah smirked back at him.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FYI. I am always interested in smut/dare suggestions. =)


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy.
> 
> Thanks for all the kudos, subscriptions and comments. They help me stay motivated to write faster. =)
> 
> Bioware owns all sadly.
> 
> Shout out to the Red Celt & MissMeggo for the ideas.

“I have a dare for you, _Admiral._ ” Alannah gave him a wicked little grin. The look itself was enough to tell him that he wasn’t going to like where this was going. “It’s a good one.”

“What is it?” He frowned at the bag in her hand.

She held the bag behind her back away from him when he tried to reach out for it.  He thought he got a glimmer of doubt in her eyes. “Do you remember your _safeword_?”

Hackett rubbed his hand across his chin before nodding.  This was definitely going to be a dare that he didn’t like. “What _are_ you planning, brat?”

“Take your trousers and boxers off,” she ordered. Her eyes narrowed when he hesitated. “Do it, now, _Admiral_.”

He stood up and slowly complied with her _order._ He wouldn’t admit it to her, but part of him enjoyed watching _his little brat_ come up with interesting ways to tease him. She stepped towards him and motioned for him to turn around.  She told him to close his eyes. 

Her fingers stroked his cock for a few minutes. He felt her slide something over his cock the minute that it was hard enough.  It felt like a cock ring of some sort but it looped around his balls as well.  Alannah walked around behind him and pressed on his back until he bent over.  She forced his legs apart and began sliding a finger into his ass. 

It seemed more about lubing him up than anything else, a moment later, he found out why.  A wire from the cock ring stretched between his legs and she eased what he assumed was a small plug into his ass.  The end of it had a slightly larger ring that pushed into him and held it in place.  It wasn’t painful or large, but he’d definitely feel it if he had to move or sit. 

Alannah pulled his boxers back up followed by his trousers.  She stroked him through his pants and then smacked him lightly on the ass which made him jump when she hit the plug.  “You can open your eyes now.”

He turned towards her with a bemused smile. “What now, girl?”

“I think we should go to dinner.” She started towards the closet.

“Dinner?” Hackett’s eyes followed her as she changed into a pair of black jeans, a black N7 t-shirt and sneakers. 

“I’m craving ramen. There’s a great noodle place near my apartment.” Alannah pulled on a knit hat that covered most of the red and white streaks in her black hair.  She’d dyed it again recently.

“You want me to walk like this.” Hackett didn’t like where this was heading. 

“Move, _Admiral_ , now.” She held up her omni-tool and a moment later he felt the slight of vibrations. “Don’t make me repeat myself.”

He followed her out of the apartment cursing his own stupidity for agreeing to another dare.  She stepped back to let him into the elevator first and _accidentally_ bumped into him.  Her hand forced the plug deeper into him and right over the sensitive bundle of nerves.  The vibrations picked up a little and if it wasn’t for the ring around his cock, he’d have had a sticky mess in his boxers right then.

“How long do you intend for this dare to last, Alannah?” Hackett could’ve kicked himself for not setting up a time limit to this _before_ he’d got himself strapped into the damn contraption.

“As long as I fucking want you to be,” Alannah reached back to tug on the toy inside of him and twisted it around a little. “You can safe word out anytime that you want, _Admiral._ ”

“I’m going to make you pay for this later, brat.” His jaw clenched with the effort of trying not to moan when she turned the vibrations up even higher.

“Then I’ll make sure to enjoy every last minute of it now.” She grinned mischievously at him and stepped out of the elevator.

Walking was more difficult than he imagined when every step stimulated his body.  He was grateful that his trousers provided enough room that his hard-on wouldn’t be obvious to anyone.  He followed her to the restaurant and had to cough through a groan when she yanked him down hard into the chair beside her.  _The little brat._ He had to give her points for imagination.

Alannah ate as slowly as she could possible get away with, Hackett was convinced of it.  She punctuated the meal by periodically raising and lowering the level of the vibrations. He caught himself starting to move in the chair and his _little brat_ had the nerve to smirk at him when he stopped immediately.

“Having trouble, Sir?” She turned innocent blue eyes towards him. “Are the noodles too spicy?”

“They’re perfectly fine.” He wiped sweat from his brow that had nothing to do with the food.

“Are you sure? You haven’t taken a bite of food. Are you distracted?” Alannah took a sip of water. “Let’s go to the Armax Arena.  Can you still shoot a weapon, sir?”

“You want me to…” Hackett pushed the bowl of noodles away from him. “Be careful, Brat.”

“Careful?” She raised an eyebrow at him. “Maybe another day. How about the casino?”

“How about we get back to your damn apartment?” Hackett spoke through clenched teeth when she slid the vibrations up to the highest level.

“The evening isn’t over, Admiral. Even if we head back now, I still have more planned for you.” Alannah turned the damn thing all the way back down to the lowest level. “You might want a drink at the bar first.”

“You have two bars in your damn apartment.” He reminded her before paying for their dinner.

“True.”

 _“Alannah.”_ He gave her a pained look.

“Let’s go.” She stood up to head back to her Tiberius Towers.

He noticed that she made sure to _bump_ into him a few times in the crowded walk back to the building.  Inside the privacy of the elevator, she turned the vibrations all the way up again and her hand drifted down to play with the plug again.  He couldn’t stop the moan this time and the _little brat_ chuckled when he pressed back against the hand holding the toy.

“Are you _needing_ something, _Admiral?”_ The wicked grin was back on her face. She tapped the plug hard once and then stepped out of the elevator doors when they opened.

He shifted himself uncomfortably inside his pants.  He followed her inside and found her standing by the punching bag in the downstairs bedroom.  “Alannah?”

“Strip.” She leaned back against the wall to watch him.  When he finished, she motioned for him to move towards the pull-up bar.  She strung a rope up over the bar and then tied his wrists together.  It was tight enough that he couldn’t move his arms much but not enough to cut off circulation. She tucked on the line that ran from the cock ring to the plug in his ass. “You’ve made quite a mess in your boxers, _Admiral._ ”

“ _Brat_.”

Alannah tutted at him but didn’t say anything else.  She eased the ring from around his cock.  His relief was an audible groan.  She stroked his over sensitive flesh with her fingers.   She turned the vibrations up high and reached back with her other hand to push the toy right against his prostate. The constant stimulation was too much and had the strongest explosion that he could remember having.

He sagged against the ropes for a moment and expected her to turn the toy off.  Instead, she licked the cum slowly from her fingers and then took his cock into her mouth.  The vibrations went even higher and she began to gently pull the plug all the way out and thrust it back in again.  He didn’t think he could actually have another one but the little _brat_ proved him wrong.

She carefully removed the plug and then wiped him clean with a warm, wet cloth.  The rope was removed from his wrists and he had to lean against the wall to keep himself upright.  He found his legs were a little too shaky to go far but Alannah helped him over to the bed.  He collapsed down on it on his back and dragged her down with him.

“So? Good dare?” She turned anxious eyes towards him.

Hackett had to chuckle at how quickly she could go from confident and mischievous to concerned about his reaction. “It was…inventive.  I’m going to need a moment to recover.”

“Just a moment?” And his brat was back to her normal self.

He turned on his side and tugged her against his body with his arms wrapped tightly around her. “I missed my _little brat_.”

Alannah fell asleep before he did.  He held her close and listened to her breathing slow down while she relaxed into his hold.  She murmured something in her sleep that he couldn't catch.  The accusations that the clone had thrown at him had cut him to the core.  He'd responded badly, but even so, it was important to him that she knew she had the freedom to say no.  They'd have a long talk in the morning about it.  And then he'd give her the new necklace that he'd bought for her. A replacement of the one that had gotten destroyed on the first _Normandy_. His arms tightened around her.

"I love you too, _Admiral_." She murmured against his chest and then drifted back to sleep.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FYI. I am always interested in smut/dare suggestions. =)


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy.
> 
> Thanks for all the kudos, subscriptions and comments. They help me stay motivated to write faster. =)
> 
> Bioware owns all sadly.

Alannah woke up the following morning to find Hackett’s arms still wrapped around her.  She eased out from underneath to take a quick shower and make breakfast for both of them.  She tripped over his bag that was by the bed and a small box fell out. 

It looked similar to the gift box that the necklace he had given her when they first started their relationship had been in.  She couldn’t resist opening the lid only to find it empty.  She frowned at the empty box for several long minutes.

_Why would Hackett carry an empty box around?_

The bag was the same one that he’d carried to visit her when he’d met the clone instead of her. 

_Had he given the clone the necklace by mistake?_

_Fucking bitch._

Shoving the box back into his bag, Alannah continued into the bathroom.  She figured the _Admiral_ had avoided mentioning it because he hadn’t wanted to hurt her. She stood under the shower and her tears mingled with the water.  The necklace was probably still on the clone, wherever the bitch’s body had landed. Bailey had probably already had the body incinerated if he’d found it.  She’d have to ask him.

_Later._

_Later when she wasn’t fucking crying her eyes out._

The empty box had been a painful reminder of losing him.  She grabbed on to the bar on the wall for support.  She covered her mouth with her other hand to keep from making a sound.  It wouldn’t do any good to wake him up, he probably felt bad enough as it was.  Her head leaned further down to rest against the wall.

“Easy there, Alannah.” Hackett eased her out from under the water.  He turned her around and looked her over with concern in his eyes.  He cupped her face with his hands. “What’s wrong?”

She just shook her head in response.  She didn’t want to tell him, to make him feel bad. “Nothing is wrong.”

“Then why are you crying?” He ran his thumbs across her cheeks.

“I’m not.  It’s from the shower.” She gestured back to the still running water behind her.

Hackett pulled her into his arms, ignoring the fact that she was getting his shirt wet.  He slid his hands into her hair and tucked her head against his neck. “That is not from the shower, _brat._ ”

“I found…well…I…wasn’t snooping.” She didn’t want him to think that she’d been going through his things.

“Snooping?” He eased her back so he could look in her eyes.

“I stumbled over your bag and…some of your things fell out.” Alannah felt like bands were tightening around her heart while she spoke. “I…did you…fucking clone.”

“I think you’re going to need to add more words to that sentence before I know what you’re talking about.” Hackett gave her a confused look and then sighed deeply as something seemed to occur to him. “You saw the box.”

“Yes.” Alannah leaned her head forward so her hair was covering her face again.

Hackett reached over to grab something out of his toiletry bag.  He pushed his hand through the curtain of hair and she saw the little heart lock necklace in the palm of his hand.  “Is this what you were afraid that I’d given to the clone?”

She reached her fingers up to take the necklace out of his hand. “You didn’t.”

“No, _my sweet little brat,_ I didn’t give your necklace to someone else by accident.” His fingers closed hers around it. “It’s all yours.”

She peered up at him through her hair. “Thank you.”

He shook his head with a laugh and tugged her back into his arms. “Do you want breakfast before or after?”

Alannah smiled up at him regretfully. “It’s going to have to just be breakfast.  I need to go meet with Doctor Bryson.  I’m already late.”

“Are we _truly_ ok, girl?” He used his fingers on her chin to tilt her head up.

“Yes, Sir, _Admiral_ , sir.”

“ _Brat,_ ” He reached behind her to swat her ass hard.

 

 


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy.
> 
> Thanks for all the kudos, subscriptions and comments. They help me stay motivated to write faster. =)
> 
> Bioware owns all sadly.

Alannah sat at the end of the bed in her quarters shivering.  She’d showered and changed into dry fatigues, yet she still felt frozen to the fucking core.  The idea that Leviathan had been in her mind  was seriously messing with her head. 

_Fuck._

“Commander? Admiral Hackett is available over the QEC.” Traynor interrupted her thoughts over the inter-comm.

_Of course he was, he’d probably just seen the report on the diving mech._

“Tell him.” Alannah glanced down at her still trembling hands. “Tell him that we’re on our way to Thessia.  I’ll give him a full report afterwards.”

“Yes, Commander.” Traynor hesitated for the moment. “Joker wanted me to let you know that we’re an hour or two away from the Athena Nebula.”

“Thanks.”

The silence in the room didn’t last long.  Her personal terminal beeped first, and then after five minutes, her omni-tool beeped.  She lifted her arm up and answered the incoming Vid-Chat request. 

“ _Admiral_.”

“Are you _ignoring_ me for a reason, brat?” Hackett asked.

“Not really,” Alannah shrugged.  She gave him a tired smile. “It’s been a long day and it’s about to get longer.”

“Doctor Chakwas seems to think that you need a little rest after your _diving_ adventure.”  Hackett sounded like he was quoting from a message.

“ _Doctor Chakwas_ isn’t in command of the _Normandy_.” Alannah wanted the war over.  She could _rest_ afterwards, or she’d be fucking dead and it wouldn’t matter anyway. “Thessia won’t wait for my _nap.”_

“Careful, Brat.” His tone dropped down a little, but Alannah for once, felt more on edge than turned on.

“I don’t have time for games, _Sir._ ” She couldn’t seem to stop shivering and her omni-tool shook a little with the trembling despite her attempts to stop it.

“Is there a problem with the connection?” Hackett had obviously noticed the movement.

“No.”

“Then why does the image keep shaking?” He frowned at her. “Alannah?”

“It probably has something to do with my fucking body not warming up.” She caught the concern on his face.

“Cold?”

“Diving however far it was into the ocean will do that to you.” She tried to sound more casual about it than she felt.

“Meet me on the Citadel.” Hackett’s brow was furrowed which told her that this wasn’t something that he was going to let go.

“We’re almost at Thessia.” Alannah figured she had to try anyway.

“It can wait a few more hours.  This isn’t an Admiral to Commander order.  Meet me on the Citadel, Brat.” Hackett clearly wasn’t having any of it.

“Yes, Sir, Admiral, Sir.” Alannah grinned at him. “Shepard out.”

Hackett was waiting in her apartment in Tiberius Towers. He sat on the couch with a blanket beside him.  He didn’t speak, just stretched out on the couch with beside him.  He pulled the blanket over them.  His hands slid underneath the t-shirt that she wore to gently stroke her back.

“When are you going to learn that you can rely on me, Alannah? That you can come to me when you need comfort.” His cheek rested against hers.

“As a personal heater?” She burrowed closer to him, letting his warmth soak into her.

“As whatever you need, brat.” He rubbed his beard along her cheek. “Are you warm enough?”

Alannah moved her fingers under _his_ shirt. “Better now.”

“Truth or dare?”

“Truth.” She’d have to move if she picked dare.

“Why didn’t you message me?” He asked.

Alannah pulled a hand out of his shirt and held it up to show the slight tremble that was still left.  “I wanted to wait until that stopped completely.”

“Alannah.”

She didn’t respond, instead, she shifted down to rest her head against his chest.  Hackett breathed a deep sigh at the avoidance but apparently decided to satisfy himself for the moment by just holding her.  It took twenty minutes for more for the trembling to stop completely.

“It wasn’t about the cold.” Alannah broke the silence. “Leviathan was in my head.  I…could’ve died down there and had no defense against it.”

“Do _not_ do that again.” Hackett kissed the top of her head. “Never again.”

“Yes, Sir, Admiral, Sir.”

“Brat,” he chuckled.

“Can I…” Alannah pressed her face into his shirt to stop the question.

“Can you what?” He eased back a little, as far as the couch would allow to get a better look at her face.

Alannah followed his moving warmth. “Can I ask for something? Not now, because I need to get to Thessia.  It sounded like things were starting to deteriorate there but when I’m done.

“Of course.”

“I…” She felt uncharacteristically hesitant.

“Since when is my little brat speechless?” His hand cupped the back of her head to tilt it up towards him.

“Will you spank me?” Her blue eyes met his and she couldn’t stop the grin. “On your lap.”

“On my lap?”

“Nudity should be involved.” Her grin widened. “Please, Admiral?”

“We need to talk first.” Hackett’s eyes turned serious. “I want to know that you understand that in the context of the bedroom, you can say _no_.  I would never use…”

Alannah’s grin faded, she wondered if he’d ever stop worrying about it.  With a sigh, she leaned up to silence him with a finger. “I know.  I know. It takes trust between both of us to keep our _official_ lives separate from this…relationship. Can we please stop talking about this now?”

“Alannah.”

“I’m serious, I’m tired of fucking talking about it.  It’s a sore spot for _you_ not for me.  I’m strong enough to tell you to fuck off when I don’t feel like it.  And I have faith in your integrity that you’d never take advantage of me.  So either you think you don’t have integrity, or you think I’m weak.” Alannah tilted her head and raised an eyebrow at him. “I have to get back to the ship.”

Hackett waited until she was half-way across the room to speak. “Stay, _brat._ ”

“No, Sir.” She grinned at him over her shoulder. “You can spank me for it later.”

“Alannah?” He stood up and strode over to meet her by the door. “Come back to me, safe.”

“Yes, Sir.” She winked at him and laughed when he smacked her on the ass.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FYI. I am always interested in smut/dare suggestions. =)


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta: CelticGrace
> 
> Hope you enjoy.
> 
> Thanks for all the kudos, subscriptions and comments. They help me stay motivated to write faster. =)
> 
> Bioware owns all sadly.
> 
> Shout out to EpsilonBeta for the pose reference help.

Hackett hadn’t known exactly when his little brat would arrive after Thessia.  He’d received the written report on it a few hours ago.  He’d also been informed by Bailey that the _Normandy_ had docked at the Citadel.  Yet still, Alannah was nowhere to be seen.  HE was about to go looking for her when the front door to her apartment opened.

She looked…defeated and angry. The first was not something that he normally associated with _his_ Alannah.  She didn’t even acknowledge his presence.  Instead, she made her way straight to the bar to pour herself a drink.  She was three shots in before she finally turned to face him.

“Bad day?” He brushed his knuckles against her arm.  He noticed a few scrapes on her neck and face.

“Let’s see. I failed to get the information on the catalyst. I failed to stop Kai Leng.  I watched Thessia fall to the Reapers.  Oh, and I fell through the goddamn fucking floor of the temple and almost died…again.  Bad day doesn’t begin to cover it, _Sir._ ” Alannah spun back around on the barstool to pour herself another shot. “Is the view nice from where you sit watching us wage war?”

“I’m going to assume that’s the anger and alcohol talking, Alannah.” Hackett frowned at her.  She was way too close to the edge and drinking _wasn’t_ going to help.  He took the bottle from her hand when she started to pour herself another drink. “That’s enough, _brat.”_

She twisted around to face him with her hand clutching her empty glass.  He could see the warring emotions on her face.   She slammed the glass down on the bar and it shattered on impact.  She was lucky that the damn thing didn’t cut her.  She took a step towards him and her fingers dug into his arms. Her blue eyes pierced into his before her forehead dropped against his chest.

“What do you _need_ Alannah?” He pulled the hem of her t-shirt out of her cargo pants and slid his hands underneath the back of it to caress her skin. “Let me help.”

She mumbled something into his uniform that he couldn’t understand.  She repeated the word a couple times and he deciphered _‘spanking.’_ His _brat_ was asking for the spanking that he had promised her the last time that they’d seen each other.  He took her hand and led her into the downstairs bedroom.  He expected her to speak; Alannah could always be counted on for sarcastic chatter.  She watched as he undressed himself and then her in complete silence.

He cupped her face with his hands and tilted her head until she was looking him in the eyes. “Are you sure you want this now? You don’t seem yourself, girl.”

“Please?” She let her fingers skim across his sides up to his shoulders. “The anger has to go somewhere, and taken it out on you isn’t fair or wise, even if it does feel fucking good.”

He sat on the edge of the bed and dropped his voice down a little when he spoke again. “Across my knee, _brat.”_

Alannah eased down across his lap.  She inhaled sharply when he gently caressed the backs of her thighs.  He shifted her until she was more comfortably situated.  He dragged his fingers along the inside of her leg up to lightly graze her pussy lips. He lulled her into a sense of relaxation before bringing the first swat down on her ass.   He alternated the strikes on her cheeks and thighs.  He waited until he’d gotten them nicely tinged pink before stopping.

He soothed the warm flesh with gentle strokes.  His fingers delved between her legs. “Already wet, girl?”

Writhing in his lap in response, her body moved across his hard cock. He had to take a deep breath at the sensation.  He teased her with a light tap directly on her pussy.  After a few gentle strikes, he began spanking her hard on the ass again.  She bounced in his lap with the harder strikes.  Through it all, she stayed stoically silent.

_Not, typical Alannah behavior._

The bag on the end of the bed caught his attention.  Hackett paused to reach out to bring it over.  He’d been saving the toy for another day, but maybe it would be what she needed.  It was a vibrator that he slid into her very, very wet pussy with ease.  He turned it to the lowest setting and then went back to swatting her ass.  He grazed his hand across her lightly a few times, and then harder again. 

He increased the force that he was spanking her and turned the toy up to the highest setting.  His _little brat_ had an immediate reaction.  She whimpered while her fingers clutched at the sheet on the bed.  She balled her hands up in fists around the fabric as she squirmed on his lap.  He kept one hand on the toy drawing it in and out of her while his other hand continued connecting with her steadily reddening skin.

She trembled and shook with each thrust of the vibrator and each swat of his hand.  When Hackett could tell that she was close, he pulled the toy out and tossed it aside.  He dragged her up and shoved her down on his cock.  Her ass bounced on his thighs and she hissed at the contact.  He used a firm grip on her thighs to guide her movements on him.  Each time her tender flesh brushed his legs, it was like a light spanking.

“Come for me, Alannah.” He reached around to swat her ass once more. “Come, now, _Little brat._ ”

She buried her face against his neck as she ground down on his cock.  She came hard, he could feel her body clenching around him.  It was all it took to bring him along for the ride.  His arms went around her as she collapsed into his body.  As they both recovered, he felt her trembling against him.  He carried her into the bathroom to clean both of them up.

Alannah winced when he set her down on the bed. “It’s a good thing we’re taking shore-leave for a few days, I don’t think that I could wear armor at the moment.”

“Medi-gel, apply it before you head back to the ship.  You won’t have a problem.” Hackett tossed the toy into the bag and set it aside.  He moved under the covers and motioned for her to join him.

Alannah curled up with her back against him.  Her face pressed into a pillow.  He heard what sounded like a strangled sob and could feel her body shaking.  He shifted on his side to pull her into his arms.  She twisted around until she was facing him. “What the fuck…”

“It’s a common reaction, Alannah.  You’ve had a bad day, a lot of emotions, anger and alcohol. And then you experienced a massive endorphin rush and spanking. Let it out. I’ll keep your secrets.” He stroked her back gently while she trembled in his arms. “My little brat.  You were amazing.  I love you.”

“I’ll love you better when my ass stops hurting,” she muttered against his chest. But he felt the soft kisses that she placed a moment later on him.  “I’m sorry for what I said earlier.”

Hackett ran his fingers lightly over her ass.  He chuckled when she hissed at him.  He felt relieved that she was sounding like herself again. “Consider yourself forgiven.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FYI. I am always interested in smut/dare suggestions. =)


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta: CelticGrace
> 
> Hope you enjoy.
> 
> Thanks for all the kudos, subscriptions and comments. They help me stay motivated to write faster. =)
> 
> Bioware owns all sadly.
> 
> Shout out to Hackett-Out for the dare idea.

Hackett stepped into his quarters only to find he had an intruder.  Alannah was asleep on his couch.  Her sneakers sat on the floor.  He could make out part of the black t-shirt and jeans that she was wearing under the blanket.  He crouched next to the couch and tugged lightly on her hair.

She opened her eyes to look at him before rolling on her side way from him to go back to sleep.  She twisted around a moment later to face him again.  He’d seen the report on Sanctuary, from the look in her eyes, it had affected her more than she’d let on in their debrief.

“What are you doing in my quarters, brat?” Hackett lifted her up carefully so he could sit down and rest her head in his lap.

“Taking a nap.”

 _“Alannah.”_ His fingers moved the hair out of her eyes.

“I missed you,” she shrugged. “Truth or dare?”

“Dare.” He answered even with the reservations that he felt at giving her another opportunity to make him do something.  Sanctuary had clearly taken something out of his _little brat_.  He wanted the mischievous glint back in her eyes.  “And make it a good one; it might be the last one that you get.”

Alannah closed her eyes for a few minutes.  He watched her brow furrow as she thought over what she was going to pick.  She finally opened her eyes. “I know _exactly_ what you’re going to do.  I just need to run back to the _Normandy_ for a second.”

Ten minutes later, Hackett was holding a scrunched up ball of fabric in one hand and glaring at Alannah who was sitting cross-legged on the couch glaring right back at him.  He regretted ever mentioning the word dare.  He stared down at the fabric in his hand and over at his _little brat_ once more.

“No. I am not…doing this.” He gestured towards her with the cloth. “Hell no.”

“Are you forfeiting, Admiral?” Her lips twisted into a crooked smirk.  “Are you scared? I never imagined that _Admiral Hackett_ would back down from a dare.”

He took the top, he thought it was the top, of the black outfit in his hands and let it unfurl.  It was eerily similar to outfits that he’d seen strippers wear in Purgatory on the Citadel.  It appeared to be cut from the same material. The only difference was that the front was cut different.  It would show off most of his chest and arms, while covering his crotch would be covered. 

“No.” He shook his head at her again. “Pick something else.”

“That is _not_ how it works.” Alannah crossed her arms.  “I even have the perfect song picked out.  It’s a rock classic from back in the twentieth century.”

“Alannah.”   He gave her a pained look. “You cannot be serious.”

“I’ve seen you move your hips, you’ve got rhythm.” His _little brat_ was clearly mocking him now. “Are you a coward, Sir?”

Hackett muttered curses under his breath as he stormed out of the living room into his bedroom.  He stripped out of his dress uniform quickly.  He held the black stretch fabric up in his hands for a moment contemplating his options. 

_Where the hell had she gotten the damn thing?_

More importantly, why the hell had he even agreed to give her another dare?  She had proven to be _incredibly_ inventive with her choices up to this point.  He should’ve known that she wouldn’t disappoint this time. He resisted the urge to bang his head into the wall for his own stupidity.  He shoved his feet into the black leggings attached to the outfit. 

The underwear portion barely covered his cock and nothing more than a damn string ran along his ass.  There were two straps that ran up his sides and over his shoulders that were attached to a pair of cuffs that went around his biceps.  He glanced down at his body and sighed deeply.  He needed a bottle of scotch to deal with this.

He heard Alannah messing with his music player and then what sounded like the rock music that his grandfather had listened to started playing.  It had a good enough beat that he could imagine _Alannah_ dancing to it.  He told himself to stop putting off the inevitable and stepped back into the living room.

“Oh my fucking god.” Alannah’s mouth fell open when he stepped into the room.

He was going to kill her if she laughed.  He could already see the mirth building up in her eyes.  _His little Brat_ was going to pay for this, dearly. He didn’t give a damn if he had agreed to the dare.  She watched him with expectant eyes.

“How much for a dance?” She lifted up her omni-tool.

“Do _not_ …” His voice trailed off because he couldn’t really punish her for a dare that he agreed to. “I wore the damn thing. Now what?”

“Dance.” Alannah’s lips were clearly struggling not to break out into a smile. “You’ve seen the women in Purgatory.  Dance for me, _Admiral.”_

And _damned_ if he didn’t.

He didn’t dance long.  Alannah lifted her hand and crooked her finger at him.  He stalked towards her assuming that she wanted him to dance closer.  Instead, she reached up to snag the top of the underwear portion of the outfit with one of her fingers.  She pulled it down and his cock flopped out.  She dragged him closer and ran her tongue from the tip of his cock all the way down to the base.

“Nice and hard for me.” She chuckled up at him. “You should dance like this.”

“ _Alannah_.” His voice darkened as she continued to tease him with her tongue.

“Dance.” She glanced up at him and the steel in her eyes would match his any day. “ _Now._ ”

He wandered over to switch the music to something slower and more sensual.  He returned to standing in front of her and began to move slowly in front of her.  Alannah’s eyes darkened as she watched him dancing.  She pushed her jeans and underwear off of her.  Leaning back on the couch with her legs spread, she started to play with herself.

Maybe it was the way that her fingers were plunging into her pussy.  Or the way that her other hand slid up into her shirt to play with her nipples.  But the dancing had turned from a joke to something a little more…sexual.  His own fingers slid across his chest down to begin stroking his cock.   Alannah added another finger and he could tell that she was getting close as her arm moved faster.

He wanted to tell her to stop but it was her dare.  She appeared to be reading his mind.  She pulled her fingers out and waved him over again.  She grabbed one of the straps that ran up his side to yank him down.  He licked her juices of off her fingers.   He found himself being pulled down on the couch.  She swung her leg over him to straddle him. 

She controlled the pace as she first teased him with her wet pussy before moving down on his cock until her ass rested on his thighs.  He rubbed his beard along her neck.  His fingers grazed across her sensitive nipples.  He pinched and tugged on them and soon she was grinding on his cock.

 She dropped her forehead against the top of his shoulder as she came.  She shifted off of him to the floor to take him all the way into her throat.  The movement of her tongue and her humming around his cock sent him over the edge as well.  He brushed his fingers through her hair as she swallowed his cum. 

“My _beautiful little brat._ ” He muttered once his breathing had returned to normal.

Alannah licked her lips and then smirked up at him.  She pulled on the side strap and let it snap against his skin. “It’s a good look for you, Admiral.”

"Brat." He dragged her off of the floor up into his arms. “We’re heading to the Cerberus base, next.  You come back to me safe, Alannah.”

“Yes, Sir, Admiral, Sir.” She leaned her head against his chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FYI. I am always interested in smut/dare suggestions. =)


	32. Chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta: CelticGrace
> 
> Hope you enjoy.
> 
> Thanks for all the kudos, subscriptions and comments. They help me stay motivated to write faster. =)
> 
> Bioware owns all sadly.
> 
> I might do a series of one-shots, but this is probably the last chapter.

The last six hours had gone by in a complete blur for Alannah.  They’d cleared Cronos station, and headed almost immediately for the SOL system.   She hadn’t had a chance to talk to Hackett once beyond their official _meeting_ on the _Normandy_. There just hadn’t been time for it.

Now she leaned against the dead body of Anderson trying to figure out how to stop the bleeding from the wound on her side.  Her armor had melted into nothing until her body was covered in a mess of her fatigues that had been underneath.  The Illusive Man also lay dead.

_Fucker._

“Shepard?  Are you there? It’s not working.” Hackett’s voice came over the comm. _“Commander Shepard.”_

Alannah dragged herself over to the panel that Anderson had been trying to figure out earlier.  She touched a few of the buttons and finally it fired up. She tried to stand up but fell backwards.  Her head hit the ground and everything went dark for a moment. 

“Shepard? Damn it, Alannah. Answer me.”

She woke up to his yelling over the comm. “You are very loud, _Admiral._ You know what would be great? If you were a lot less loud.”

_“Brat.”_

Shepard tried to get into a seated position but finally gave up and stayed on her back on the floor. “Admiral?”

“Yes?”

“Anderson’s dead.  So is the Illusive Man.”  She paused for a moment, her hand still pressed against the wound on her side. “And I’m all out of fucking medi-gel. So, I think you’re going to need three body bags.”

There was a very _long_ silence.

“How badly are you injured, Alannah?” He sounded a lot quieter; she had to strain to hear him.

“I took a bullet in the side at some point.  And I think I have a concussion.” Shepard closed her eyes for a moment. “The blood pouring out of my side is the biggest problem.”

“Stay with me, do you hear me? You keep talking.  That’s…damn it.” He was silent for a while.  She had a feeling he was struggling with the fact that it was an open comm, and not a _private_ conversation.

“S’ok, sir. I understand.” Alannah felt herself starting to fade out.

“We had to leave the system when the Crucible fired.  We’re heading back now.” Hackett explained. “We’ll dock with the Citadel as soon as we can.  Just stay awake.”

She nodded in response, realized that he couldn’t hear the nod, but couldn’t seem to get her brain to work.

“ _Alannah!_ Damn it. Are you still there?” He was getting loud again.

“Very tired.  I’m very tired.” Her eyes wouldn’t open. “I’m just gonna…take a nap.”

“No, you are not, Alannah, you keep your damn eyes open. That’s…” His voice trailed off again. “Listen to me very carefully, _brat_ , you stay awake. That’s an order. I’m going to find you.”

“Yes, Sir, Admiral, Sir. You’re not even on the Citadel.” She laughed then regretted it because it hurt. “Also, I have no clue where the hell I am.  Good luck with the keeper tunnels.”

Hackett said something but she couldn’t hear. Her vision started to tunnel and that had to be a bad sign.

_Fuck._

“I can’t….I can’t really hear anything right now, _Admiral._ I…I don’t know if you can still _hear_ me…but I’m sorry I couldn’t follow that last order, sir. I don’t care if anyone is listening. I love you.” Shepard let herself drift away.

“ _Alannah?”_ Hackett spoke into the silence. “Shepard? Answer me, Commander.”

_Nothing._

He ordered the fleets back to the Sol system.  There were enough that survived that he could send some to Earth and others to Citadel.  The _Normandy_ of course headed for the Citadel and so did the Admiral.  He wasn’t leaving the search for Alannah in other people’s hands, not again.  Even if it was just her body, he was going to find it this time.

“Admiral Hackett?” Vega’s voice came over the comm. “We think we’ve found the right tunnel.  Do you want us to wait for you?”

“No, send me the location. I’ll meet you there.” Hackett raced to the coordinates that the Lieutenant had forwarded to him.

When he got there, Vega was carrying Shepard in his arms.  Her body looked…limp…and dwarfed in the arms of the massive marine.  A pair of dog tags dangled from her hand.  Hackett lifted them up expecting them to be hers, but they were Anderson’s.

Hackett wanted to take her from Vega’s arms, but it was more expedient to simple follow him back through the tunnels towards Huerta Memorial.  Alannah clung to life.  The shallow breathing and weak pulse were not very comforting. 

 He refused to be ushered out of the surgery when they worked on her.  The doctors finally stopped trying to argue with him and helped him get scrubbed in so he wasn’t an infection risk for her.  He stayed by her side once she’d been wheeled into a private room for recovery.  He handled the organizing of the fleets and other things on Earth from the hospital room for days, only leaving to shower, get a change of clothes and eat.

 “Truth or dare?”

Hackett shot up in his chair with his eyes opening to immediately look over at the bed. “Dare.”

“Wow, I must look a hell of a lot worse than I feel.”  She tried to sit up but he had to head over to help her.

“You look…beautifully awake.” He sat on the edge of the bed and took her hand gently in his own.

“That is a _beautifully_ evasive answer, but I’ll let it slide.” Alannah grinned at him. She shifted under the covers and winced. “It’s good to see you, _Admiral.”_

Hackett lifted her hand up to his lips. “You’ve been under sedation for several days while your body healed. I’ve been _concerned._ ”

“I love you too.” _His wonderful little brat_ winked at him.

"The whole fleet knows that now." Hackett had received a number of messages about her uttered words over the comm before she passed out.

 _"Fuck._ Sorry."The mischevious glint in her eyes told him that she wasn't sorry at all.

"I've received a number of notes from the admiralty about it." He brushed his lips against her fingers again. "I told them the feeling was mutual."

"So about that, dare, _Admiral._ " 


End file.
